


Silences and solitude

by LooIsHere



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Anal Sex, F/M, Geisha, Guns, Japan, Kidnapping, M/M, Murder, Oral Sex, Slow Build, Tattoos, Torture, Violence, Yakuza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2019-11-07 00:51:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 36,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17950448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LooIsHere/pseuds/LooIsHere
Summary: Because Kylo had always thought that the things he cherished the most were already lost or broken, he had never allowed himself to hold anything dear.But because he had never allowed himself to hold anything dear, he couldn't see how much he craved it.





	1. The oyabun

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you'll enjoy this work as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
> Have my (poor) yakuza Kylo art to see how I pictured him while I wrote this (sorry, I suck at drawing)
> 
> Every term related to Japan/japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance.
> 
> Oyabun: the absolute leader of a yakuza clan  
> Yakuza: organized crime syndicate in Japan  
> Ochaya: typical japanese teahouse  
> Shoji doors: doors with translucent paper over a frame of wood  
> Geisha: women who entertain through performing the ancient traditions of art, dance and singing (and are not prostitutes)  
> Tatami: rice straw flooring material  
> Sake: japanese rice wine  
> Aproximately, 100 yens equals 0.8 euros/0.9 dollars/0.7 pounds, but a simpler way to convert yens into euros/dollars/pounds is to remove two zeros at the end of the yen sum.  
> In this work, I use numerous japenese suffixes:  
> "-sama" is the most respectious suffix and I usually translate it as "Sir" or 'Boss."  
> "-danna" is used for influencial patrons (especially by geishas) and I also translate it as "Sir" in the mouth of the geishas.  
> "-san" is the classic suffix used by everyone, it is quite neutral and there is no use translating it, so I usually put the name of the person only.  
> Maiko: women learning to be a geisha  
> Taikomochi: male geisha (today, the last taikomochis are basically funny entertainers, but they used to have the role women have as geishas. Please note that in this, I portray the taikomochi doing the same things that traditional geishas do.)

 

 

Kylo slowly massaged his temple, eyes lost in his partner’s. He wasn’t listening to a single word of what he was saying. He remembered something about drug problems on his territory. The signet ring on his right ring finger seemed to weigh tons, sitting there on his face. From the corner of his eye, he could see his right-hand man nod and gesture quickly as he answered. He closed his eyes a few seconds and brushed his hair back when he reopened them.

 

“I’ll send someone.” He muttered, his bored gaze piercing through the man in front of him.

 

“Thank you, Sir. I am very grateful for what you do for us.”

 

Kylo vaguely nodded and lifted his fingers. The man immediately stood and bowed before leaving.

 

“Should we send our men, Kylo ?” His right-hand man asked.

 

He slightly nodded again and hummed. “Beat them up and take their drugs, with the money. We’ll teach that clan not to get on our territory again.”

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

Kylo stood up and circled the sofa on which he sat to grab his shoulder holster on the coat rack. He slipped it on before putting on his coat and slid his phone in the inner pocket. He was headed to the ochaya for the evening, as he usually was twice a week.

 

“You’ coming ?”

 

“Not tonight, I’ll plan the operation. The sooner we attack, the better.”

 

“As you want. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

 

The man bowed low and Kylo nodded once before leaving. The few men he met while exiting the building bowed to him in respect and soon enough he was sitting in the back of the black car waiting for him.

 

“The usual, Sir ?” Asked his bodyguard and chauffeur, looking at him in the rear view mirror.

 

“Yes.”

 

Kylo looked outside the window for the short ride, his mind wandering. The past months had been calm, and he started to wonder if something was not going to snap, somewhere. The drug incident almost reassured him. Some brainless thugs sent by a rival, weaker clan to try and make some money on his territory, he guessed. _Steal_ the clan’s money, rather. He doubted they would try anything else on their territory with their drugs and money gone, and with their precious boys missing some teeth.

 

He slowly blinked when the car stopped and exited it when the man opened his door.

 

“Have a nice evening, Sir. Please, send me a message when you are ready to leave, I will be waiting for you.”

 

He hummed without answering and walked towards the tea house. He didn’t even have the time to knock that a beautiful woman opened the wooden door.

 

“Good evening, Sir. Please, come in.”

 

He bowed his head and stepped in, soon removing his shoes, coat and holster and giving them to the woman. She led him to a small room he now knew like the back of his hand. It had a small, square table and only four seats. One of its walls was painted a dark blue, and the wood of the shoji doors had a darker tone than the others. He thanked her before sitting in one corner, legs crossed, and sighed. Even if everybody in the city knew he was here, nobody ever came to bother him. Some didn’t care. Most were afraid. He undid his cufflinks and rolled his sleeves up slowly, watching the ink move with the skin as his muscles rolled under it.

 

“Excuse me, Sir.” The shoji door slid open and the geisha that opened him previously kneeled in the room. She took the tray she left in the corridor and put it on the tatami before sliding the panel close.

 

“Tonight, I opened for you a bottle of Juyondai.” She smiled and put the small ceramic cups on the table carefully. She then lifted the porcelain flask and poured the sake before putting it back on the tray.

 

Kylo took the shallow cup and drank its content as he watched the girl take a tiny sip. The almost-vanilla-like flavour bloomed on his taste buds and he silently relished the slight burn of the alcohol. She refilled his cup and left the white porcelain flask on the table before leaving with a bow, tray in hand. Soon, she would be back to perform a traditional dance, as he had asked the first time he came. He didn’t want to chat when he spent hours there, he only wanted to enjoy the peace he couldn’t have outside of the tea house. He snorted to himself. Of course he couldn’t have peace, he was the head of his yakuza clan.

 

He looked at his cup and its fine blue dragon detailing. He sometimes wished he was someone else. He looked at the ring on his finger bearing his clan’s crest. He couldn’t deny it, power and wealth were good, but he knew that he would never have a proper family. He couldn’t risk it, not anymore, not after being forced to kill his own father. He didn’t want to risk the lives of a wife and children. He threw back his cup of sake and poured himself another. It didn’t matter. He could live with _only_ money and power.

 

He checked his phone and lazily scrolled through the messages his men were sending to each other. Everything his right-hand man sent or received appeared on his phone, for communication and supervision purposes. It made interventions easier. He read through the first messages and ignored the rest. Everything went as it should, there was no need to worry.

 

Before he had the time to drink his third cup, the geisha came back. She had a fan in hand, which meant she would dance. He bowed his head politely and leaned back on the wall. He observed her as she danced. The traditional makeup highlighted her beautiful face, and the patch of skin on the back of her neck that wasn’t covered in white ignited a spark of desire in him. Every time she turned, he sought for the golden patch of velvety skin that she sometimes hid behind her red fan. He brushed his mustache and beard before emptying his cup and taking his phone.

 

 _Find a girl for tonight._ He typed. _In the beige room when I arrive._

 

An answer came less than a minute after he sent the message.

 

_Yes, Sir. The usual ?_

 

He looked up briefly and observed the geisha for a moment before replying.

 

_Smaller breasts._

 

_She will be waiting for you, Sir._

 

He licked his lips and put the phone back down to focus on the graceful woman in front of him. He poured himself more sake and sipped it slowly. As her kimono flew around her, Kylo wondered if she had an influential patron that protected her. He wondered how and why she became a geisha, and thought about the people he got his money from. Maybe some of them had given a daughter to protect her from his clan. How many bones did he break, in all these years in the yakuza ? How many people did he beat bloody? He cleared his throat and tried to clear his mind. He didn’t need to think about that now.

 

When he left, later that night, his bodyguard was waiting for him outside, as he told him. The desire had completely disappeared from him, and he was only left with bitterness, like so many nights before, and surely many nights to come. He closed his eyes in the back of the car and on his eyelids flashed his bloody knuckles, the gold of the ring hidden under a red veil. He opened them and swallowed thickly. He didn’t need that.

 

“Good night, Sir. I will be waiting for you tomorrow morning, at eight o’clock.”

 

“Thank you.” He mumbled.

 

He entered the house and left his shoes in the entrance before taking the stairs up. The light was on and the door of a bedroom was ajar. He sighed. He would pay her and tell her to go.

 

“Hello, Mister.” She purred. She was only wearing a black, tiny, open lace thong. “How was your day ? I heard you were exhausted.” Her whiny voice irritated him.

 

“You can go.” He declared, removing a stack of 10,000 yen bills from the inner pocket of his coat and handing ten of them to her.

 

She took them and stayed silent for a second. It was more than what she had asked, he knew it. She smiled.

 

“I will take good care of you, Kylo-sama.”

 

He wanted to kick her out.

 

“Here, let me help you relax.” She bit her lip too obviously and walked to him, her breasts bouncing slightly. She then kneeled in front of him and undid his belt before unbuttoning and unzipping his pants.

 

Kylo looked down at her and brushed his hair back. Maybe seeing his soft cock would dishearten her. But instead of stopping everything, she took it in hand and started leaving kisses along it. So he reached in his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. He let his coat slip off his shoulders and lit one, letting the pack fall. He could feel his body reacting to her attentions, but he wasn’t aroused: his mind was still busy with work. He couldn’t care less about the mouth around his cock. Still, he put a hand on her head and assisted her moves; after all, she was trying hard to pleasure him. She let go of him briefly to talk.

 

“See ?” She giggled. “You’re more relaxed now. You’ll feel better in no time.”

 

He tapped the ashes on the floor and guided her back around him before closing his eyes. He could still try. But there on his eyelids he could only see blood on his hands. He cursed and opened them again.

 

“Come.” He said as he stub out his cigarette, sat at the end of the bed and invited her to sit on him.

 

She rubbed the head of his cock against her and moaned fakely before sliding him in. Kylo swallowed and wrapped his large hands around her thin waist, helping her up and down, slowly at first, then faster and faster. He started breathing more heavily and he latched his lips around one of her nipples, enjoying the roundness of her breasts, the way they bounced as she fucked herself on him. He closed his teeth on it gently and she cried, and Kylo wished he could just tell her to shut up. So he tightened his grip on her and flipped them over, laying her on her back. In this position, he started pounding harder in her, his breath shortening as pleasure slowly took over him. He used one hand to fondle her breast and his thumb to tease her nipple. Her thighs were clenching around him, and he slid his hand down, flattening it on her stomach to play with her clit with his thumb. He wanted her to come, he wanted her to tighten around him. She started moaning loudly, genuinely, and Kylo grunted.

 

A few seconds later, her vagina clenched down around him in a few spasms and he cursed under his breath as he tried to last a bit longer. Before long, he stilled deep inside her and came, frowning, hand clamped around her hip.

 

He huffed wearily. His climax had come and gone in seconds, dull and disappointing. Just as he expected it to be. He sighed and slipped out before standing and closing his pants.

 

“You can use the shower before leaving.” He told her in a mutter. “A taxi is waiting for you.”

 

With this, he grabbed his stuff on the floor and went for his own bedroom. Much larger, with a wall painted red, it had a private bathroom and reinforced windows, not to mention secret places where he hid weapons. He removed all his clothes and headed for the shower. There, he quickly rubbed himself dry and retrieved his phone in the pile of clothing. Nothing worth staying up. He collapsed on his bed, still naked, and hoped for a restful night.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“How did it go ?”

 

Kylo lit up a cigarette as the elevator went up.

 

“Good, Sir.”

 

He said nothing, waiting for details.

 

“We took the drugs.” The man said as they walked to Kylo’s office and greeted everyone. “Four kilograms of cocaine, one and a half of heroine, two kilos of different pills and six hundred grams of meth.”

 

He hummed thoughtfully. “Go on.”

 

“They only had that day’s sales money on them. We counted 900,000 yen.”

 

“Good. Did they get what they deserved ?”

 

“We were only three for the two of them, but I couldn’t recognise any of them when we left. Broke their noses, made sure they lost a few teeth, blackened an eye or two. Left one with a dislocated kneecap.”

 

Kylo nodded and headed for the minibar to pour himself a drink. He opened the whiskey carafe, but finally changed his mind. He shouldn’t be drinking this early in the morning. Instead, he went to the door and looked at the men outside.

 

“Someone make me some tea.” He told no one in particular before going back in. He turned to the man and smiled slightly. “Good job. Take a day to rest and send me the other guys if you see them.”

 

“Yes, Sir.”

 

He bowed and left. Soon after his departure, someone knocked and brought him his tea. He sat on his couch and sighed, satisfied. Nothing was best than starting a day knowing his business was doing good.

 

The hours passed and by seven, Kylo was ready to leave. He walked to the car with a light smile on his face. It was so rare his bodyguard made a comment.

 

“You seem in a good mood tonight, Sir.”

 

“I am.” He said, getting comfortable on the leather seat.

 

“Directly home tonight, as usual, Sir ?”

 

“No.” The man looked at him, an eyebrow raised. “Drop me off at the tea house.”

 

“Alright, Sir.”

 

“Want to join me ?”

 

“No, I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

 

“Come on, we’ll have fun.”

 

“I won’t be able to drive you home if I drink, Sir.”

 

Kylo scoffed. “Right. I’ll see you later tonight, then.”

 

He was used to being greeted by the same geisha, but this night, it was a maiko. He bowed to her and gave her his shoes and coat. She jumped when she saw the gun in the holster and apologised.

 

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t use it.” He removed the holster and gave it to her with a smile.

 

She put everything away neatly and came back to him. “Which room would you like ?”

 

Kylo was about to answer when the woman he usually saw hurried next to her.

 

“I am very sorry.” She started and bowed low. “She doesn’t know you yet, Sir. Please don’t blame her, she is still learning and-”

 

“Don’t worry.” Kylo interrupted her and smiled. “Let her learn.” He turned towards the maiko She was so ashamed that her eyes were starting to water. “Please, take me to the blue room.”

 

She nodded and quickly guided him there, apologising again and again. He entered and sat down in his corner. This time again, he sighed and leaned back on the wall. He mindlessly rolled up his sleeve and closed his eyes. Too bad his right-hand man had left before he could invite him.

 

After a few minutes, the maiko came back with sake and a plate of food. She knelt in the room and bowed slightly before presenting everything to him.

 

“I opened a bottle of French wine. It is some…” She paused, unsure. “Bordeaux.” She poured him a glass from the crystal carafe she held. “It pairs well with this dish, a wagyu beef sashimi prepared especially for you, Sir.”

 

Kylo thanked her and tasted the wine as she left, closing his eyes as the rich flavours enveloped his senses. Its taste sat comfortably on his tongue, rough and heavy. He licked his lips and took the chopsticks to pick a piece of thinly sliced meat. He could have moaned to the taste. The soy sauce coated his palate briefly before letting through the subtlety of raw spring onions and garlic that complemented the barely seared, delicate meat.

 

He was enjoying his second slice when she entered once more.

 

“I was told you only liked dancing, Sir.” She almost whispered. Kylo wanted to laugh, but he didn’t. There was nothing to laugh about but his own stupid selectivity.

 

She took her fan and unfolded did, soon starting to move gracefully with it. He looked for the golden patch of skin, but felt like it wasn’t the same. No pang of desire this time, only admiration for such a young lady performing such a beautiful art. He took another sip of wine. Maybe it was because of that. Her age. How old could she be ? Eighteen ? Nineteen maybe ? He drank again.

 

Suddenly, something caught his eye and turned his head. Only then did he notice the door was ajar. He shared a look with the geisha standing outside and frowned. She left before he could say or do anything, but something was _different_. From what he had seen in the softened light of the corridor, her features didn’t seem as harmonious as the others and her eyes had seemed blue, or green maybe. Apart from tourists, he had never seen any blue-eyed or green-eyed woman, and colored contact lenses weren’t allowed for geishas. He brushed his beard slowly and turned his attention back to the maiko.

 

When she finished dancing, Kylo had just finished eating and she was about to leave when he asked her to wait.

 

“What can I do for you, Sir ? Should I stay a little longer to enjoy your valuable company ?”

 

“Thank you. I do not wish to take more of your precious time. Could you tell me who is working, tonight ?”

 

“Oh.” She thought for a second. “We are only three tonight. My big sister, that serves you usually, a big brother and myself, Sir.”

 

He frowned. “A man ?” He thought male geishas had disappeared long ago.

 

“Yes. This ochaya is proud to have a taikomochi, as they tend to be rarer and rarer.”

 

“They are, indeed.” He played with his ring a little, thinking. “What is his name ?”

 

“Do you wish to ask for his services ?”

 

“I would like to know on which days he works here.”

 

“Of course, Sir. Please, wait a minute.”

 

She left promptly and the other woman appeared in the door soon after.

 

“My little sister told me you wanted to know about our male geisha.” She closed the shoji door behind her. “His name is Hux. He only works in this tea house on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays.”

 

Kylo nodded. It probably was the reason why he had never seen him: he came on Thursdays and Fridays, usually.

 

“If you wish for him to serve you instead of me on his working days, please tell me.”

 

“No, don’t worry.” He declared, already thinking about the next day he could see him. Monday. “I was just curious. Where does he come from ? He’s not japanese, is he ?”

 

The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry, Sir, this is not information I can disclose.”

 

He smiled and nodded before thanking her and telling her he was about to leave.

 

“I hope you had a nice evening, Sir.” The maiko said as she helped him put his coat back on. “Thank you for coming to our establishment.” She bowed low as he left.

 

“How was your evening, Sir ?” His chauffeur asked.

 

Kylo was tired of being called _sir_ . Unfortunately for him -or was it a blessing, he wondered - in the organisation, only his right-hand man called him _Kylo_.

 

“Did you know there was a man working in this tea house ?”

 

“Do you mean, as a geisha ?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“No, I didn’t. I thought men had stopped this activity.”

 

“Me too.” He rubbed his temple slowly. “I think he comes from a foreign country. Or his parents, at least.”

 

“Why ?”

 

“His eyes are green.”

 

“He probably does, then, yes.”

 

Kylo hummed. He would go there on monday. He wanted to meet him, and he would.


	2. The taikomochi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you that left a kudo or a comment !  
> No drawing this time, but I'm planning one for Hux in another chapter.
> 
> Every term related to Japan/Japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance.
> 
> Kamon: emblem used to decorate and identify a clan, a family or an individual (like a crest)  
> Okiya: geisha house (the place where they live and train)  
> Tayuu: entertainers similar to geisha, but that offered sexual services as well. Tayuu had their obi tied in the front, to differentiate them from traditional geishas and to make undressing easier  
> Obi: fabric belt/sash worn over kimonos

On Monday, Kylo was ready to leave the clan’s headquarters as soon as he stepped in. The oppressive atmosphere he immediately felt engulfed in could only predict something was wrong. Some of his men were discreetly avoiding his gaze and they stopped talking when he went past them. He had woken up with a light headache, nothing too unusual, and on his way to the office they had encountered traffic and been stuck in it for half an hour, which had worsened his mood. But now that he was finally there, Kylo only wanted to go back.

 

He was starting to grow impatient and angry. Among his men, he was known for being quite ill-tempered when rubbed the wrong way, but among his enemies, he was known for being merciless. He swallowed hard and waited for the elevator to stop. Something felt wrong.

 

When he exited the elevator, he found his floor quite empty for a monday morning and he strided quickly to his office, gun out. But behind the door wasn’t any threat, or at least, not in the way he expected it: sitting on the floor was one of his men, clutching his right forearm, blood everywhere on himself, his face pale, clammy.

 

“What the fuck happened ?” He put the gun away and knelt next to him.

 

“Goddamn…” The man winced in pain when Kylo took his arm. “...Thugs came and got me.”

 

“I’m calling a friend, she’ll patch you up. Only got those stab wounds ?”

 

The man nodded. He probably raised his arm when he saw a knife coming his way, Kylo noted mentally. Three deep wounds, one that almost went through.

 

“You can move your fingers ?” He asked while he dialed. The man nodded and showed him. “Good.” Kylo pulled on the man’s tie and undid it, deftly wrapping it around his arm in a tourniquet.  

 

“Yes, Kylo ?” A feminine voice came from the phone.

 

“Ah, Phasma. Good to hear you. You have a minute ?”

 

“Someone in the office needs stitches again ?”

 

“ _Again._ As if I called you every other day.”

 

“I’m packing my stuff, just tell me everything.”

 

Kylo blessed her internally and told her everything he knew. He hung up and looked through his right-hand man’s messages. Nothing unusual. He called him.

 

“Kylo ? Something wrong ?” Came his raspy voice.

 

“Woke you up ?”

 

“Don’t worry about it. Should I come to the office ?” He heard him muffle a yawn.

 

“Take your time, it’s nothing too bad. Someone got stabbed but it’s okay, I’m told everyone went after the bastard who did that.”

 

“Sta- What the hell ? Of course I’m coming.”

 

“I’ll call you again when we have him. For now just relax, do whatever you do in the morning, I don’t know, drink some coffee, jerk off and shower. You know.”

 

“Kylo-”

 

“Yeah I’ll call you later.”

 

He hung up and asked the man in front of him if he was still okay. He nodded.

 

“Why did you come in here ? It’s not the safest place in the office.”

 

“But it’s the only place where I knew you’d be for sure.” He groaned, still in pain. “I’m sorry for the… Rug, boss.”

 

Kylo looked down and noticed the blood stains on the white, soft rug. He shook his head.

 

“No need to worry about that. I know how to clean blood.” He cracked a forced smile to reassure him. “When did they leave ?”

 

“Who ?”

 

“The others.”

 

“I… I don't know, I'm sorry boss. I think I phased out and I…”

 

“Don't worry.” Kylo stood up and poured himself and the man a whiskey. To hell with not drinking in the morning. “Here,” he handed the glass to him. “Can't do harm.”

 

He downed his in one big gulp and put the glass on the coffee table. They could only wait now.

 

Half an hour later, Phasma was there, casually talking about her week while she stitched the man’s arm. Not long after, Kylo’s phone buzzed loudly on the table. He picked it up.

 

“I just arrived and there’s a bloody mess of a man in the hall.”

 

“Good news it is, then. I'll be waiting for you and him and whoever wants to join in the last room on floor six.”

 

He hung up and stood up. He took something in the inner pocket of the coat he had discarded on the sofa and walked to the door.

 

“Phasma won’t let you come to beat the shit out of him, but I'll do it enough for two.”

 

She scoffed and pushed down the man that tried to get up as Kylo left. The tip of his fingers was prickling. He could almost feel the adrenaline seeping in his blood flow. In the end, he always came back to it. Fighting. He breathed slowly. He couldn't kill him, not yet, not before he got some information out of him.

 

He took the elevator down and rolled his shoulders, the leather of his holster squeaking lightly. He needed to be calm before entering the room. He sighed lengthily and stopped in front of the door, knocking slightly before stepping in. The cold sun of winter bathed the room in a blindingly white light.

 

“Ah, you’re here, Sir.”

 

The man tied up in the middle of the room started thrashing and tried to speak, but he was gagged and the only sounds that left him were throaty groans. Kylo squatted in front of him and pulled the rag out of his mouth.

 

“Looks like you have things to say.” He mumbled. The thug spat towards him and red droplets landed on his white shirt. He sighed and licked his lips slowly. “I’m listening.”

 

He got back up and stood straight in front of him to undo his cufflinks and put them in his pocket before rolling his sleeves up.

 

“You’re rather silent for someone that wanted to scream.” His calm voice seemed to resonate in the room.

 

“You fucking Ren clan, think I’m afraid of you ? Think any of us is scared of pussies like you ?”

 

“Well tell me then.” He declared, brushing his hair back. “Why did you stab one of us ?”

 

“ ‘Cause you pieces of shit need to learn where your goddamn place is. We don't give a fuck about drugs, we’re not like the cunts that dealed on your territory. We're going for you and your pretty little head. We’ll kill each and every one of you if it's what it takes to make you fall.”

 

Kylo hummed, not impressed. “That's all ? Already finished ?”

 

The man stared at him and snarled before spitting again.

 

“Would they care if I ended you ?”

 

The man snorted. “Think I care ? I'm serving the clan, that's all that matters. But you wouldn't know, your men are fucking useless.”

 

“Good.”  Kylo then asked for a cigarette and took a drag before stepping forward and swinging his foot right in the man’s stomach, who cursed and coughed violently. He would be a nice one to beat up.

 

“Hang him up and undress him. There's enough skin for everybody.”

 

He lost himself in his thoughts as the men followed his command and cut the rope around his arms to tie his wrists, hanging him to a butcher’s hook that they lifted until he could barely touch the ground.

 

Kylo understood why people weren't afraid to die, he himself wasn't. But they should be, he thought, because he knew ways to make people wish they had feared death. He moved his fingers to try and make the prickling disappear. His heart was beating faster in his chest. The next morning, that man would be released. He turned the heavy ring on his finger. Naked. Beaten up. Bloody. Branded.

 

When he was finally tied properly and struggling again, Kylo nodded to his right-hand man.

 

“Please, start.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kylo groaned when blood spattered his shirt and face again. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, his joints were hurting. He looked at them and watched the blood -a mix of his and the thug’s- drip on the concrete floor. He raised his gaze at the man and observed his body for a few seconds. All six of his closest men had taken turns to beat the lack of fear out of him and it finally started to work. Kylo snorted to himself. Bruises were starting to appear on the man’s skin where it wasn't red and raw and some cuts were already starting to clot.

 

As they usually did, they had left his face untouched for Kylo to have the privilege to ruin it with his own hands. And ruin it he did. His nose was broken, his left brow bleeding profusely, his bottom lip burst and his eyes slowly turning purple.

 

“Not talking much anymore, are you ?” He teased, voice rough.

 

“Fuck you.”

 

He cracked his knuckles and slid a hand in his back, removing the flick knife he had put in the waistband of his pants earlier. Once the blade was out, he circled the man, noticing how he twitched away from the noise and jumped when Kylo flattened his left palm on his shoulder blade.

 

“Shhh.” He started. “You're not afraid, are you ? We'll be done in a minute.”

 

With these words, he pushed the cutting edge down on the tattooed skin and started outlining the clan’s kamon. The man screamed.

 

“Gag him again.” He commanded.

 

He then sliced in the skin carefully, millimeter after millimeter, patiently carving the precise details, and with a final move, he forced the blade under the skin and cut underneath the kamon. Finally, he tore the patch of skin away from his body and carelessly discarded it on the floor.

 

“I hope you're still awake.” He patted his shoulder and came back to the front to grab his face. The man groaned, breathing hard through the cloth in his mouth. “Good. One last little thing and you'll be free.”

 

Kylo slipped the signet ring from his finger and wiped it on his already blood-soaked shirt. Once clean, he gave it to another man that lit up a kitchen blowtorch and adjusted the intensity of the flame.

 

He went back to the man’s face and slapped his cheeks gently, making sure he was still conscious. Then, he wiped his bloody forehead and cheeks and observed him, searching for the best patch of skin. Jaw and chin were excluded, they could be too easily covered by stubble or beard. Forehead could work, but the wrinkles forming there would make it ugly. Kylo turned his face left, then right.

 

“Are you right or left handed ?” He asked lowly.

 

“Right.” The man articulated as he could around the fabric stuck in his mouth, not even resisting.

 

Kylo nodded. Right cheek it would be, then. “Make sure he stays still.”

 

Immediately, two men came and took his head in their hands firmly. Kylo took the glove lying next to the blowtorch and put it on his left hand before letting the man with the other glove slide the almost red-hot ring on the second knuckle of his forefinger.

 

“Better breathe if you want to take it like a man.” He warned as he placed himself in front of him once more. The man seemed to struggle, but his head barely moved, tightly enclosed in the strong hands of the others.

 

Kylo put his right hand on the opposite cheek to steady himself and blocked the ring on his knuckle with his thumb and middle finger. He took a deep breath and pressed the searing gold on the sweaty skin, pushing as hard as he could, then slowly breathed out as the man thrashed and the unpleasant smell of burning flesh rose from him. He watched as uncontrolled tears rolled down the man’s bruised eyes, ignoring the metal burning his own skin under the too thin glove. He knew they were barely heat resistant, but he felt like the burn he received each time he branded someone was well deserved; his punition for making people suffer.

 

He removed the cooling metal from the skin and used his free hand to brush against the now branded skin. He hummed as the men let go of him.

 

“Glad to see you didn't pass out.” He declared when the man lifted his eyes to him. He removed the gag. “Got anything to say ?”

 

“I’ll…” He closed his eyes, clearly struggling to breathe and form coherent sentences. “I'll fucking… Gut you…”

 

“What time is it ?” Kylo asked as he slipped the ring back on his right ring finger and removed the glove.

 

“Eleven, Sir.”

 

“Right. Do whatever you want to him as long as he can still walk tomorrow. Make sure he keeps his phone. Burn his clothes and throw him out whenever you want before five tomorrow morning.”

 

“Yes, Sir.”

 

Kylo straightened, retrieved his flick knife on the ground and left. He brushed his hair back as he went to the elevator and ignored the men that stared at him. He looked at himself in the mirror of the elevator. Of course they stared: a good part of the front of his white shirt was drenched in blood. So were his hands, and the spatters on his face had created new, red moles on his skin. He waited patiently for the elevator to stop at his floor and immediately went for the bathroom when he arrived.

 

There, he pulled his shirt from his pants and unbuttoned it, quickly removing it and letting it fall. He turned the water on and washed his hands and ring until the water became clear again. Only then he noticed the small scratches on his knuckles and the burnt skin on the pulp of his left thumb, the side of his left middle finger and the top of his left forefinger. He ignored them and rinsed the blood that had soaked through his shirt and stained his face before doing the same with the knife.

 

Once done, he took paper towels, dried himself and walked back to his office. Some men looked away from his half-naked form and he heard Phasma whistle when he closed the door of his office behind him.

 

“We can't afford to have you roaming this building naked, Kylo.”

 

He didn't answer and went for his phone.

 

“Do you need anything, Sir ?” Came the voice of his bodyguard.

 

“Bring me a clean shirt.”

 

“Yes, Sir. I'll do my best to deliver it to you quickly.”

 

He hummed and hung up.

 

“Show me your hands.” Phasma walked to the desk behind which Kylo just sat.

 

“No need.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

“How much do you want for him ?” He asked, pointing at the sleeping man on the couch with his chin.

 

“I wasn't exactly planning to _buy_ him.” She laughed. Kylo stared at her sternly. “Yeah, well, I don't care. You perfectly know what you pay me per month for my silence is already too much.”

 

“Which is exactly why I need to pay you every time you come here.”

 

“He got three wounds, so let’s say, I don't know, something like 30,000 yen.”

 

“Take them. Inner pocket of the coat.”

 

She nodded and took out the bills, taking three of them.

 

“Left you some painkillers. In case he needs it. Or you.” She declared, putting her jacket on and closing her case. “Oh and, you reek of blood. See you, Kylo.” 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“How was your day, sir ?”

 

Kylo vaguely moved his hand.

 

“Am I driving you home tonight ?” He asked, even if they already were on their way there.

 

“Yeah.”

 

He couldn't smell the blood on him, but the slight frown of his chauffeur had made him realise he couldn't go to the ochaya like this. When they parked in front of the door, Kylo told him to wait for him. Inside, he went for a quick shower and changed clothes, soon sitting back in the car.

 

“It is quite unusual for you to go to the ochaya on Mondays, Sir.”

 

“You never know when the last time will be.” He muttered under his breath, ignoring the worried look he gave him through the rearview mirror.

 

He left him in front of the tea house with the usual words and drove away. Kylo turned to the small house and observed the door and sign for a moment before walking to the door and knocking.

 

A young woman opened and bowed.

 

“Good evening, Sir. Welcome to our humble establishment. May I take your coat and shoes ?”

 

He nodded slightly and handed her his shoes and coat first. Like all the girls that had never served him before, she badly hid her surprise when she saw the gun on his side. She took the leather holster clumsily and disappeared for a second.

 

“Which room would you like tonight, Sir ?”

 

“The blue room.”

 

Kylo looked over the girl’s shoulder, mouth open, words not even out. She turned to the voice and gave a frown to the man standing there.

 

“The blue room it is, indeed.” Kylo declared, voice low, eyes locked in the man’s.

 

“Do you…Would you rather have my big brother as your host tonight, Sir ?”

 

His gaze flicked down to her, noticing the slight disappointment in her voice.

 

“Yes, please. Thank you very much.” He bowed respectfully as she nodded and left.

 

“This way, please.” The man said, inviting Kylo to go to the small room. He continued once Kylo was sat down. “My name is Hux and I will be your host for tonight. What would you like to drink, Sir ?”

 

Kylo observed his face, not answering. His jaw was square, his lips full, his cheekbones high. The white on his face didn't contrast as much on his pale skin as it did on the golden skin of the women. The red at the base of his light eyebrows made them look like they were on fire. The red at the corner of his green eyes seemed out of place. The red on his lips supposed to make then appear thinner only made him think of blood. He swallowed, the image of the blood dripping from the thug’s mouth popping in the back of his head.

 

“I'll have your best sake.”

 

“Alrigh, Sir.” Hux bowed and left.

 

Kylo scratched his moustache. He was intrigued, he wanted to know more about him. Hux came back and poured the alcohol.

 

“I will perform for you some-”

 

“Please don't.” Kylo interrupted. Hux looked up at him, taken aback. “Dancing is the only thing I want from you, music not too loud. No chatting.”

 

Hux opened his mouth and closed it, looking back down to the sake cups. “Alright, Sir.”

 

“But not tonight.” Kylo drank his cup in one go, rubbing his tongue on the roof of his mouth for a few seconds. “I want to talk.”

 

Hux’s clear eyes seemed to darken in confusion. “As you wish, Sir.” He put the ceramic flask down on the wooden table and sat down on his heels. “Did you spend a nice day ?”

 

“Yes.” He noticed how Hux threw wary looks to the scratches on his hands before he stared at the ring. “Quite productive.” He licked his lips briefly and combed his hair back forcing the green eyes to look up. “Tell me about you. You're not Japanese, are you ?”

 

“No, Sir. Is it something that bothers you ? Shall I have my little sister serve you ?”

 

“Where do you come from ?”

 

“My parents were Irish, but I spent most of my life here, in Japan.”

 

“ _Were_ ?” Mechanically, Kylo undid his cufflinks for the third time this day and rolled his sleeves up.

 

“I haven't…” Hux’s voice died down when he saw the tattoos covering Kylo’s skin. He cleared his throat and seemed to force himself to look Kylo in the eyes. The yakuza member detected a glint of fear in them.

 

“I haven't seen them in a long time.”

 

“Why ?”

 

Hux swallowed nervously. “I wanted to become a taikomochi.”

 

“Did you ?” Kylo turned the ring on his finger.

 

“Yes, Sir. I greatly admired geishas. I wanted to learn their arts.”

 

Kylo looked away. _Liar_. Men in debt went to the yakuza, not to geisha houses. The truth was probably the same that for most of the geishas he knew. They gave their precious son to an okiya to make sure he would be fed and housed while they were struggling to make ends meet. He scoffed and drank again.

 

“What do you do for a living, Sir ?” He asked, and  he guessed the man was faking ignorance.

 

“Does it matter to you ?”

 

“I… No, Sir.”

 

“You know who I am, don't you ?”

 

“Yes, Sir. You are the oyabun of the Ren clan.”

 

“Are you scared ?”

 

Hux forced a small smile. “No, Sir.”

 

“Good.” Kylo rested his elbows on the table and leaned closer. “There is no need to be.” He licked his lips and locked his brown eyes in his. “Tell me, Hux. Are you a tayuu ?”

 

The man’s features wrinkled in a outraged expression. He had a backward move and his lips pinched.

 

“I'm sorry, Sir, but my obi is tied in my back.” He said curtly as he took the empty tray in his hands and moved towards the door. “I am a honest and respectable performer.” He frowned and gave him a harsh look. “Please, do not ask me this again. This is a respectable tea house.”

 

With these words, he left. Kylo rubbed his face and sneered to himself. So he wasn't selling his body. He wondered how he reimbursed his debt to his okiya, as he doubted other men wanted him as their host. Kylo himself usually came here to see graceful women dance, not _men_. He sighed and called his chauffeur; there was no point staying longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next week for the third !


	3. The girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all that left a kudo or a comment !  
> I hope you'll enjoy this chapter !
> 
> Every term related to Japan/Japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance.
> 
> Hanamachi district: "flower district" meaning the district where are the geisha houses and tea houses.  
> Okaasan: litterally means "mother" but is used by geishas to refer to the woman that owns the geisha house and train them. Okaasan pay for everything maikos need (training, clothing, haidresser and so on) and expect them to reimburse everything with their earnings (when they become a full time geisha).  
> Big sister is used to refer to older geishas and little sister is for younger geishas or maikos.

“Sir.”

 

Kylo suddenly opened his eyes and wrapped his hand around the throat of the man leaning over him, only to be forced to let go. A confused groan left him and his heart started pumping fast. In the dark of the room, he couldn't see who was there and he felt around behind him with his left hand to grab a dagger, only to be stopped.

 

“It’s only me, Sir.” A familiar voice said, and he immediately relaxed.

 

“Shit.” Kylo croaked. “You scared the hell out of me.”

 

“I'm sorry, Sir.”

 

“What's going on ? What time is it ?” He sat up and rubbed his face, breathing slowly.

 

“It’s three in the morning, Sir. I just received a call saying you needed to come to the office. You weren't answering your phone, so I came to wake you up.”

 

“An emergency ?” He turned the lights on and squinted.

 

“I'm afraid so.”

 

“You know more ?” He stood up, only wearing his underwear, and went to grab his clothes.

 

“No, I’m sorry.”

 

Kylo shook his head slightly and dressed quickly, soon grabbing his gun and following his bodyguard to the car. He checked his phone and saw the missed calls from his right-hand man. He frowned and called back.

 

“Ah, Kylo.”

 

“What's going on ?”

 

“You're on your way ?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then I'll tell you everything once you're here.”

 

“Right.” He hung up.

 

When the black car stopped in front of the building, he jumped out and almost ran inside, only to find his men and-

 

“Why are they here ?”  Kylo recognized the girls that worked in two of their bars.

 

“Statura sent his bastards to our bars.” His right-hand man declared calmly. “Wrecked _The Fellfire_ and _The Ravenous_.”

 

“Are they hurt ?” The girls looked terrified in their revealing outfits.

 

“No, they only have a few cuts from the shattered glass.”

 

Kylo nodded thoughtfully. That asshole would regret it.

 

“Looks like he didn't quite get the message when we sent him his little protege back with our crest fucking branded on his face.” He started calm but was almost yelling by the end of his sentence. He forced himself to relax and sighed.

 

“I'll find a neutral hotel for the girls tonight. Decide between yourselves who wants to protect them, you'll have tomorrow off.” He licked his lips and combed his hair back. “Don't you let any of her get harmed, am I clear ?” He saw the men nod. “And don't you dare try anything, they are _not_ whores.” He tried to look in each man’s eyes. “They are respectable women and I won't tolerate any of this shit, alright ?”

 

He nodded to himself as he paced and turned to the girls. “Forgive me, I should have asked you first. Are you all okay, ladies ?”

 

They all shyly nodded and Kylo imitated them, slowly. He swallowed thickly.

 

“So, who's keeping guard ? I need eight of you.” The men raised their hands. “You're all armed ?” They all nodded. “Well if everything's settled, I'll let you go back to your business. You have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow. You eight, if anything happens, call me or him.” He pointed at his right-hand man.

 

With these words, he turned around and went back outside, where the car was still waiting for him. He let himself fall on the back seat and told the chauffeur to go. As he stepped on the accelerator, he reached out and handed Kylo a small flask. He took it and smelled its content, soon smiling as he looked up in the rearview mirror.

 

“Whisky, really ?”

 

He saw the man’s slight smile reach his eyes.

 

“I knew you would like it.”

 

“I thought you didn't drink on duty ?” Kylo said before taking a sip.

 

“I wasn't on duty when I got home after dropping you off.”

 

Kylo smiled again. “Only drink whisky ?”

 

“Ah, I'm not a fan of sake, I'm afraid.”

 

“Vodka ?”

 

“Oh no, Sir.” His smile disappeared. “I swore not to drink a drop of this kind of spirit again, after…”

 

“Yes, I forgot. Sorry.” Kylo remembered, now. That was why he had entered the yakuza: to escape prison. He had came, desperate, explaining that if not a single gang wanted him, he would kill himself. Kylo had immediately understood that his own life no longer mattered to him. He learnt, not long after giving him a job, that he had got blackout drunk one night and had beaten his pregnant wife to death. Drunk on a cocktail of vodka, rhum and tequila.

 

“Wine, maybe ?” He tried not to make him reminisce what had happened, even if he knew it was too late.

 

“I only drink wine with meals.”

 

“You’re a tough one.” He grinned. “Beer, then ?”

 

“Beer ? Yes.” He smiled a little again.

 

A comfortable silence settled between them for the rest of the ride, and when the car came to a still in front of Kylo’s door, he was already dozing.

 

“You want to sleep here ?” He asked, opening the door. “In case we need to move quickly ?”

 

“No, I wouldn't want to bother you, Sir. I'll be here quickly if anything happens.”

 

Kylo nodded and wished him a good night, not wasting any time to go straight to his bed.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Good evening, Sir. This way.”

 

Kylo buried his face in his hands as soon as he sat down. It was one of those nights, he felt it. As tired as he was, he knew there was no way he would be able to sleep. So instead of lying awake in bed, he had come to the tea house. He couldn't stay there all night, but at least he could ask for silence.

 

“What would you like to drink tonight ?”

 

The soft voice made him start. He looked up in the green eyes, surprised to see Hux there.

 

“Tea.” He said under his breath, soon rubbing his temples.

 

The man came back with two cups and poured water on the tea leaves without saying a word. He delicately put down one of the wooden cups in front of Kylo and sat on his heels.

 

“I deeply apologise for the harm I caused.” Kylo bowed low. “I didn't mean to disrespect you and I am grateful for your services, Hux.”

 

He stayed there, head hanging low for a moment before sitting straight up again.

 

“I understand and I forgive you.” Hux nodded his head once in respect. “Should I dance for you tonight ?”

 

“No, thank you.”

 

“Do you wish to chat ? Or should I leave you to relax for a moment ?”

 

Kylo thought for a second. “Stay a little longer.”

 

The man nodded. “How was your day, Sir?”

 

“Great.”

 

He thought back on what had happened. He had met with the girls once more and had made them talk about the night before. From their testimonies, he now knew that the men had came with baseball bats and destroyed everything they had found on their way. When he asked about the two men he knew were in each bar to supervise everything, the girls all said that they had been held at gunpoint. All ten of them reported the same story: three men cornered them in the office while two had controlled the Ren clan members. From there, they only heard glass breaking and men yelling in the large bar. The cuts some of them had were due to being pushed out of the establishment while they were still wrecking everything.

 

Kylo had already called the insurance and he was only waiting for their papers and payment to start the repairs. For now, he had planned to let the girls rest for a few days, and then he would send them to their other bars. He blinked and looked back up into Hux’s waiting eyes.

 

“I was in dire need for calm.”

 

Hux smiled softly and nodded. For a moment, Kylo just observed him in silence. He guessed his hair was blonde, from his light eyebrows, and wondered what it looked like under the heavy black wig he wore.

 

“How old are you ?” He asked in a whisper while taking the cup to his lips.

 

“Does it matter to you, Sir ?”

 

Kylo sipped some tea and let the liquid warm his mouth before swallowing and answering.

 

“No. It's pure curiosity.”

 

“Then how old are _you_ ?”

 

“This is not something I can disclose.” Kylo put his cup back down. “And I don’t think you are in a position to ask this to your customers.”

 

Hux’s face seemed to close, but Kylo couldn’t care less about it. He paid him, his feelings didn’t matter.

 

“I am sorry, Sir. Do you really wish to know my age ?” Hux looked down, lips slightly more pinched than before.

 

“No, I don’t care.” Kylo licked his lips and brushed his hair back. “You don’t have to tell me anything about yourself.”

 

He didn’t know why, but it somewhat upset him. He laughed in his head. Of course he knew why: he wasn’t used to people putting up a semblance of resistance. He hated it. His fingers prickled in a too familiar way. He cleared his throat and looked away.

 

As they sat in silence and drank their tea, Kylo thought about moving to another night establishment. Somewhere with nothing to do with any tea house. He cracked his thumb and played with his ring. No matter how hard he fought against it, he felt it flowing in him. The will to fight. The _need_ to fight. He swallowed hard.

 

“I have to go.” He muttered, slowly standing.”Please, bring me my stuff.”

 

He looked down at his hands as he waited in the hallway: his knuckles were barely healed. He took his phone from his pocket and called his bodyguard.

 

“Should I come pick you up, Sir ?”

 

“No, no, I’m going to the bars.”

 

“The clan’s ?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What will you be doing there, Sir ?”

 

“Making sure nobody causes trouble. Especially Statura’s dogs.”

 

“Sir…” His voice sounded worried. He knew him well enough to know what he was really going after.

 

“I won’t be alone.”

 

“I’m coming. I won’t interfere with your activities.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, just in case, I know.”

 

He hung up and left as soon as he was ready. The hanamachi district wasn’t far from the red-light district and walking there would give him enough time to mull on everything. He knew he couldn’t start a fight for no reason, but he knew that as soon as he would step in the district, every other clan would be aware of his presence. And that only meant that thugs and designated troublemakers would come to him like bugs to a night lamp. And like the bugs they were, they would burn themselves. He heart was starting to pump faster. He forced himself to breathe calmly.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Sir, there’s someone for you.”

 

Kylo had just sat in the office of the first of his bars. He wanted to laugh at the predictability of the other clans.

 

“Let him come in.”

 

He rolled his shoulders once and waited.

 

“What are you doing here, Kylo ?” The man sneered as soon as he came in. “Is your clan doing so fucking bad that the oyabun himself has to come down here ?”

 

“What do you want ?”

 

“Nothing, really.” He paced in the room, fakely observing the furniture. “Wanted to know how the girls were doing. Y’know, since I heard you were doing _renovations_.”

 

Kylo stood up. “Yeah, I couldn’t stand the old sofas anymore.” He shrugged and walked up to him. “Wanna help renovating ?”

 

The man stared at him, testing him. “ You like this bar ? How about a new paint job ? Wouldn’t do harm, don’t you think ?”

 

“How much you have on you ? Paint is expensive.” A moment passed before Kylo spoke again. “You came here all alone ?”

 

“Tsk, I’m not afraid of you. You’ seeing a male geisha, yeah ? I ain’t afraid of no fag.”

 

Kylo smiled and chuckled. It made the other one smirk. Before he could open his mouth once more, Kylo had punched him in the face.

 

“What the f-” He received another hit and groaned.

 

“Shut the fuck up, I’m tired of your whiny voice.” Kylo said lowly before kneeing him in the stomach. “You know…” He kicked his legs and watched as he collapsed on the floor, coughing violently. He then sat on him and punched strongly on the side of his nose, relishing the sickening crack of the bone and the scream that followed.

 

“I never liked your smart mouth.” He swallowed and put one hand around the man’s throat. He put pressure on it progressively and watched as the man started to choke. “And you should be afraid of me.” He felt his Adam’s apple bob under his palm as he tried to swallow, in vain.  

 

After a few more seconds, he removed his hands and stood back up as the man coughed and choked on air, his hands clutching his neck. He kicked him in the stomach again, hard, and called someone.

 

“Throw him in the street.” He commanded. “Take everything he has, money, drugs, weapons.”

 

He watched his men drag the man out of the office and through the back door before slipping his coat on and leaving for another one of his bars. He knew roaming the well-lit streets would bring him more people. And that was what he wanted. More.

 

* * *

 

 

Kylo breathed heavily as he leaned on the wall and spat blood. This one had been tougher. He coughed a bit and reached for his phone.

 

“You’re out there ?” He groaned.

 

“Yes Sir. Should I come in ?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

A few seconds later, his bodyguard entered the office in quick strides.

 

“Are you alright ?”

 

Kylo nodded. “Just took a few punches.”

 

“You’re bleeding a lot.”

 

“Ah it’s the…” He pointed at his brow bone. “It’s nothing. I’m good.”

 

“Should I call Phasma ?”

 

“No, no, I’ll do it. For now just take care of him.” He went to the door and asked for a hand before sitting on the chair. “Oh and,” his chauffeur raised his head, “have any whisky left ?”

 

He smiled and threw him the flask.

 

After half an hour, they had taken care of everything and Kylo was being driven back home. He had called Phasma and she had laughed at him, but she promised to come. He snorted when they arrived and he saw her silver trench.

 

“How inconspicuous.” He smirked as he walked to her and his door.

 

“Says the one thats covered in blood.”

 

They got in and Phasma made him sit on the couch while she sat on the coffee table.

 

“Let me look at you.”

 

“Are you gonna grumble ?”

 

“Why ?” She said as she wiped his face with sterile compresses and saline solution. “Because you got yourself into a fight again ?”

 

“You tell me.”

 

“How did you end up like this ?” She asked as she threw bloody compress after bloody compress.

 

“Just went in the city to… Check on the other bars. Made sure everything was fine.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

“Well, as you guessed, it wasn’t that fine.” He hissed as she pressed a cotton soaked in alcohol on the open wounds and scratches.

 

“Sorry, I had already left the hospital so I grabbed the only thing I had left home. And what I guessed is that you don’t have to fight every single bloke that comes to your bars.”

 

“Are you nearly done ?” He sighed.

 

“No. And I don’t have anaesthetic.”

 

“What for ?”

 

“Suturing your brow.”

 

He gestured vaguely and told her it was okay. “You sutured that gash on my face without any anaesthetic too.”

 

“Yeah.” She pushed the sterile needle in the irritated skin and Kylo bit his tongue. “But you made sure to get almost blackout drunk before I could touch you.”

 

“Ah, yeah, I forgot that.” He smiled.

 

After three full minutes of pained silence, Kylo sighed heavily as he heard the scissors snip and he leaned back on the couch.

 

“I clearly was shitfaced.”

 

“Didn't remember it hurt like that ?”

 

He shook his head slightly and massaged his forehead slowly.

 

“You have any other wound I need to tend to ?”

 

He shook his head again.

 

“Remove your shirt I'll check myself.”

 

He groaned but started unbuttoning it and slid it off easily. Phasma sat next to him and squinted to inspect the small bruises that had appeared on his chest beneath the ink.

 

“Nothing too bad. I don't think any of your ribs cracked or broke. And your hands… Well they'll heal quickly, as always. You still have the painkillers I gave you the other day ?”

 

“I left them in the office.”

 

She winced comically. “Well you're going to spend a shitty night and a shitty morning.”

 

“All my mornings are shitty, Phasma.” He mumbled through clenched teeth.

 

“I'm taking 10,000 yen.”

 

He nodded.

 

“In your coat ?”

 

He nodded again.

 

“Take two of those pills tomorrow. See you, Kylo.”

 

He vaguely groaned something and waited until he heard the door slam shut to lie on the sofa and close his eyes. Within seconds, he felt himself sink in slumber.

 

* * *

 

 

“Holy shit.”

 

Kylo recognised the voice of his right-hand man and groaned.

 

“What happened to you ?”

 

“I had some lessons to teach.” He opened his eyes and watched as the man sat in the other sofa of the office. He knew he looked like hell: everyone had thrown him worried looks when he arrived, and he had understood why when he had seen himself in the mirror of the elevator. The sutured wound looked very iritated and pink and under it, his left cheek had taken a yellow tone.

 

He shrugged to the man. “Taught them well.”

 

“We have henchmen for that kind of teaching.”

 

“Those assholes don't show unless I'm in town.”

 

He nodded. “Should we expect some trouble ?”

 

“No.” The painkillers had been a blessing and he was glad not to have thrown them away. “Unless Statura wants all his spawns to die.”

 

“Anything special for today ?”

 

“Yeah, that baker from last time, he still hasn't paid for his protection this month. Take some men and go and see what's going on there. If he's in trouble we’ll take the money later. But if not, tell him he has two days. Tell those men, if we haven't seen any of this money in two days, we'll take it by ourselves.”

 

“Alright, Kylo. I'm on it.”

 

He stood up and bowed before leaving. Kylo considered himself lucky: his men were loyal and efficient, they worked well and could be trusted. He lifted his cup of tea and finished it, soon standing too. After all, he still had work to do.

 

* * *

 

 

“Twenty six.”

 

Kylo frowned, confused, and plunged his gaze in Hux’s.

 

“I'm twenty six. You wanted to know, didn't you ?”

 

Kylo nodded in understanding.

 

“Please forgive my inappropriate curiosity. I shouldn’t have asked. What would you like to drink tonight, Sir ?”

 

“Sake. And I would like you to dance.”

 

“It will be my pleasure, Sir.”

 

Hux left silently and Kylo let his head fall back on the wall behind him with a soft thud. He could faintly hear the other customers in the the other room of the first floor. He wondered why he came to see this man instead of the usual nice geisha. Not that the intimity that being a geisha’s -or a taikomochi’s, for that matter - customer involved bothered him, he knew some kind of relationship formed after creating such a routine and he had already been with men, but he couldn’t help asking himself what fascinated him so much about the man. Maybe it was the fact that he was a man, the first male geisha he had the chance to see. The rare taikomochi he heard of in the news were now nothing much more than entertainers, rather than traditional artists. Maybe it was only out of curiosity: why would europeans bother to find an okiya for their _son_ ? Japan was quite phallocratic and foreigners above all were the best treated, if his parents had wanted him to be safe, they could have just raised him like a japanese little boy. He kept his questions in the back of his head and observed him come back and pour the alcohol carefully.

 

“Do you sing too ?” He tried.

 

“I do. Should I sing for you ?”

 

“No, I just wanted to know. Isn’t it complicated with a voice like yours ?”

 

“I learnt to sing like any other maiko and I worked hard to make our songs sound as beautiful as they do when sung by women.”

 

“You worked very hard to become a taikomochi, didn’t you ?”

 

“I did, Sir. But my okaasan taught me and helped me as much as she helped my big sister.”

 

“Did you wear male kimonos during your training ?”

 

“No, I didn’t. Their patterns and colours aren’t suited for art. My okaasan had them made for me, and if she found one that would suit me in women’s kimonos, she kindly had it altered by a seamstress for it to fit me.”

 

Kylo took a sip of his sake and observed the fine detailing of Hux’s rich kimono. This night, it was made out of a light blue fabric. On the bottom and on the sleeves were printed waves in a darker blue and clouds in white, and the obi was decorated with white japanese daffodils. It represented winter in a beautiful, delicate way.

 

“It must have been expensive.” He mumbled.

 

“It was, indeed.” Hux smiled slightly but it barely hid the light distress in his voice.

 

“You are still in debt to your okiya.” Kylo almost whispered, more in an affirmation than a question.

 

Hux kept his smile but swallowed before speaking again. “I owe my okaasan everything I have today. I am grateful for everything she did for me and I reimburse my debt happily.”

 

Kylo hummed and finished his cup of sake. They sat in silence for a moment before Hux left to prepare himself to dance. When he came back, a red and golden fan in hand, Kylo smiled. It would be the first time he would see a man dance. So he bowed respectfully and watched silently. As he expected, he was as graceful as any woman, the only difference being the slightly more angular form of his body under the clothing. His face was as serious, his moves as precise, his rhythm as flawless as the other geishas. He followed the undulation of his arm as he curled and uncurled his hand. He watched as his thin fingers stilled in an elegant pose. He only snapped out of it when Hux moved again to fold the fan and bow.

 

“Thank you, Hux.”

 

“Do you wish to converse a little longer ?”

 

“Yes, please, sit with me.”

 

He nodded and kneeled back down across the table.

 

“Have you ever thought of leaving Japan ?”

 

“No, Sir. I like the life I have here.”

 

“Forgive me if I am indiscrete, but do you have someone ?”

 

He shook his head slightly. “I don’t.”

 

“So you must have friends ?”

 

“Ah, I’m afraid I’m quite a solitary person, Sir.”

 

“Why don’t you travel the world, then ? Once your debt paid, you will be free to go wherever you like.”

 

“I have the okiya. It is my family and I can’t leave my mother and sisters alone.”

 

“I see.” He drank a bit and Hux poured him another cup.

 

“May I ask you a question, Sir ?” He said quietly, almost like he was afraid to speak.

 

“Please, do.”

 

“Why don’t you come in this teahouse on the other days, as you did before ?”

 

“Why ? Is it a problem ?”

 

“I shouldn’t be telling you this, Sir, but since you stopped seeing my big sister, she suffers from a certain lack of income…”

 

Kylo raised his eyebrows, surprised.

 

“I do not mean to say that I don’t want to serve you anymore, bu-”

 

“Yeah, this I understand. I… Am sorry. Unfortunately I can’t pay her for something she doesn’t do for me.”

 

“I wasn’t implying that, Sir.”

 

“Please, tell her I am deeply sorry. I will talk about her around me, I am sure she will find another patron soon.”

 

Hux bowed low. “This is very kind of you, Sir, thank you.”

 

He changed the subject and they chatted quietly for a moment before Kylo came back to it.

 

“By the way, Hux…”

 

“Yes, Sir ?”

 

“Do you have any other regular patron ?”

 

“Yes, I have one.”

 

He frowned slightly. “I thought I came here every night you worked ?”

 

“Ah.” Hux smiled softly and looked down for a bit. “This is because he reserved the evening for himself only.”

 

“With you ? Every week ?”

 

“Yes.”

 

He didn't really know why, but it triggered some kind of jealousy in Kylo. “Do you also…” He brushed his mustache and goatee in reflection. “Go out with him ?”

 

“Oh, no.” Hux seemed a bit confused by the question. “I told you, Sir, I am not dating anyone at the moment.” He paused, hesitating. “And I… Have never been with a man before, so I never really considered him this way.”

 

Kylo scoffed. “Well this is some rather personal information.”

 

“Sorry I-” He looked down and if Kylo couldn't see his cheeks under the white paint, he was persuaded they were reddening.

 

“How much do you earn from him ?”

 

“I'm sorry Sir, I cannot tell you his.”

 

Kylo nodded with a small smile. Of course. He licked his lips and told Hux he would soon be on his way.

 

“Here.” He took a business card from one of his inner pockets when he slipped his coat on and gave it to Hux. “Take it. If you ever need something, call.”

 

Hux bowed deeply. “Thank you very much, Sir.”

 

“It is our headquarters’ number, so don't be surprised if I'm not the one answering the phone.”

 

He bowed again. “I truly hope I won't need it.”

 

“I hope so too.” Kylo mumbled before stepping out. He turned around and nodded a last time to Hux before sitting in the car waiting for him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week !


	4. The wakagashira

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for still being here ! I hope you'll like this chapter !
> 
> Every term related to Japan/Japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance.
> 
> Here is a good example of the use of "-sama", "-danna" and "-san". I translated "Kylo-sama" as "Sir", then there's the "Kylo-danna", and the "Kylo" alone is "Kylo-san." Each one is a bit less respectful than the last.  
> Wakagashira: middle man in practice right under the clan leader. Also called number two or lieutenant.

“Would you mind if I asked you out ?” Kylo muttered, his right hand mechanically combing through his goatee.

 

Hux tipped the glass carafe and kept his eyes on the burgundy liquid swirling in the crystal, a small smile raising the corners of his lips.

 

“It would be an honour for me to be your companion, Sir.”

 

Kylo hummed and observed the content of his glass for a moment. Now that everything had settled a bit, he figured it would be the right time to know this man better. He had already asked geishas out, but his business had always forced him to be in too dangerous situations for him to consider keeping a girl by his side. He knew he couldn’t date Hux, he was a young man with different  _ interests _ , but he wanted to become friends with him. Geishas often learnt secrets behind the closed doors of their teahouses, and Hux probably was no different. More than that, Kylo was used to mix with men, his life was full of men, so he knew how to handle them better. It would be easier to befriend a man than to seduce a woman. 

 

“Are you free tomorrow evening, then ?” He wondered if any other of his patrons had asked him out before. It was common for geishas, but was it for taikomochis ?

 

“Ah, I’m sorry, Sir, tomorrow is the day I serve my other patron.” 

 

Kylo blinked and nodded. Of course. “Thursday, then ?”

 

“Thursday will be just fine.” 

 

“Where should I pick you up ?” 

 

“My okiya is at the end of the terrace. I would be grateful if you could wait for me at the end of the street.” 

 

He nodded. “I’ll be there at seven.” 

 

“This is very nice of you, Sir, thank you.” 

 

* * *

 

“Everyone is ready, Sir.” His chauffeur declared while they waited at the end of the road. 

 

“Good.” He turned the ring on his finger. “If anything happens, remember I want them alive.”

 

“Yes, Sir.” 

 

“And not a word to him.”

 

He caught his eyes in the rearview mirror. “Of course.”

 

In the middle of the afternoon, Kylo had announced that he planned to go to the restaurant in the evening, as he knew things had blown over. If some of their rival clans -and most of all, Statura’s - waited for an opportunity to take him out, it was the perfect moment. So he had set a few of his men in the restaurant to make sure nothing too bad would happen. Not that he was afraid, no, but he couldn’t let anything happen to himself while he didn’t have any plan for the future head of the clan. As he waited, his right hand man was already sat at a table in the restaurant with one of their dancers. He had watched the texts he had sent to the others through the afternoon and was sure everyone would be safe. 

 

He checked the time. Yeah, he couldn’t let any innocent get hurt in that restaurant, just like he couldn’t leave the clan’s reins to his right-hand man without having him officially named. 

 

He put his phone back in his coat when his bodyguard left the car to open the door to Hux. 

 

“Good evening, Sir.”

 

“Please, call me Kylo.” He said before brushing his hair back. He was surprised by how short Hux’s hair was but didn’t mention it. They would have time to talk about it later. 

 

“Alright, Kylo-danna.”

 

“Just Kylo is good, don’t worry.” 

 

Hux raised his eyebrows, seemingly a little confused, but ultimately nodded. As they were driven to the restaurant, Kylo observed him discreetly. For the occasion, Hux was wearing navy suit pants with a light blue shirt and black shoes. It violently contrasted with his more feminine side that Kylo was used to see. He himself was wearing a pair of black trousers with a white shirt buttoned almost all the way to the top to hide his tattoos. He had traded his shoulder holster for one inside of the waistband. As long as he would have his coat or would be seated, nobody would notice it. After all, he didn’t want to disturb the peace by looking suspicious or dangerous. 

 

They left the car once they were parked and Kylo nodded to his chauffeur knowingly before heading towards the restaurant. While Hux followed the waitress, he noticed how he looked skinnier without all the fabric of the kimonos and in closer fitting clothes. They ordered an aperitif and Kylo threw a look around the dining area, mentally noting where his men were sitting. 

 

“This hair colour suits you better.” He declared, noticing Hux was a ginger and not a blonde like he had thought. 

 

“Indeed, black hair suits golden skin better, but I’m afraid I do not have any saying in the colour of the wig I need to wear.” He smiled. 

 

Kylo observed him carefully for the first time. Without all the white and red makeup, his skin had a pink undertone. His square jaw wasn’t softened, his lips were well defined and his bright green eyes weren’t overshadowed by red. The sight of his naked features in a soft light was almost relaxing. 

 

“Thank you for joining me tonight, Hux.”

 

“I am extremely grateful for your invitation, Si- Kylo.”

 

“Is it the first time one of your patrons ask you out ?”  He asked, sipping on his gin. 

 

“Yes. My sisters often have the privilege to be asked out, but I don’t have many regular patrons. They usually like women better.” 

 

“Yet you mastered the same arts and you are of good company too.”

 

“Thank you, Kylo.”

 

“I’m going to ask you a question, and I’d like you to tell me the truth.” 

 

Hux gave him a wary look at his sudden change of tone.

 

“Why did you become a taikomochi ?” 

 

“Because I-”

 

“No, no.” Kylo almost whispered, crossing his fingers and resting his chin on them. “The real reason.”

 

Hux looked at him for a moment before looking away and down, slightly embarrassed. So Kylo decided to speak instead. 

 

“Your parents didn’t have the money to raise you so they put you somewhere where you couldn’t get harmed if anything happened to them.” He mumbled, so low he was surprised Hux had heard him.

 

“It’s not…” He shook his head and glanced at him. “It’s complicated. There’s no need to talk about that tonight, Kylo, please. Should I tell you about what my favourite thing to learn was ? It would be much more entertaining, I believe.”

 

“Why did you accept to come with me tonight ?” Kylo agreed to change the subject. He knew he was right, there was no need for him to push Hux any more.

 

“You are a very influential patron, it would have been extremely rude of me to turn you down. And I truly enjoy our conversations. You are an interesting man and I am grateful to be the one you chose to spend your evenings with.”

 

He hummed. “I see.” 

 

Before he could say anything else, their food came and they sat in a half-comfortable, half-embarrassing silence as they ate. _An interesting man_. Kylo wanted to laugh. As if he had done anything more than questioning him and making small talk. He ordered a bottle of champagne for the dessert and spoke again.

 

“You look very different in this outfit.” 

 

“I am deeply sorry if my appearance is not what you expected it to be, Kylo.”

 

“It’s not what I meant. Actually, it is quite refreshing to see you out of kimonos, wigs and makeup.”

 

“I hope you aren’t too disappointed by my manly side. Should I have come in a masculine kimono ?”

 

“Not at all.” Kylo shook his head and drank some champagne. “I am glad to have the opportunity to see you like this.”

 

Another silence settled between them and Kylo took advantage of it to check on the men in the restaurant: everything was fine, nobody was especially nervous. 

 

“Sir, may I know more about you ?”

 

“What do you know about me already ?”

 

“Not much, really. I know what your… _job_ is and I know your name, but that's all.”

 

“Ask away, then. I'll answer truthfully.” He grinned. Maybe he could trust him, maybe the slightest. 

 

“How old are you ?”

 

“Twenty-nine.”

 

Hux raised his eyebrows. “You're young for the head of such an organisation.”

 

“Ah, I knew who to learn from and who to trust. Pulled the right strings at the right moment.” He paused a bit and whispered. “Or the right triggers, for that matter.”

 

“Is it true what they say in the news, that you brand your victims with your kamon ?”

 

Kylo smirked. “ _ Victims _ is a bit strong. What do you think ?”  Unlike him, the idea didn't seem to make Hux particularly happy.  “Haven't you seen the pictures ?”

 

“They only talk about your clan when someone dies, so there is no picture.”

 

“Ah, yes. Do you want to know the truth ?”

 

Hux hesitated for a second before nodding.

 

“We do.  _ I  _ do.” He looked down at the heavy ring on his finger and played with it, long enough for Hux to lower his gaze onto it too. Kylo shrugged. “They're not  _ victims _ , far from it. They steal, torture, murder.  They deserve it.” He observed the burnt scar on his forefinger. He deserved it too.

 

He leaned back on his seat and took his flute casually. “Are you scared of me ?”

 

Hux took his flute too to give himself composure. “No. Should I ?”

 

Kylo shook his head. “Do you think I'm a despicable human being, then ? If it's not fear, it's usually hate that I trigger in people.” 

 

Hux smiled a little. “No. But there might be other ways to resolve conflicts than… _This_.” 

 

“There might.” He chuckled lightly. “But not in the yakuza world, I’m afraid. It would be easier if people weren't trying to gun me down at all times.”

 

“Aren't you afraid ?”

 

“Of what ? Death ?”

 

Hux nodded.

 

“Why ? Do you think death is an end ?” 

 

“Don't you ?”

 

“It's a transition between two lives, I don’t care about dying.”  _ And I would deserve it _ , he thought.

 

“Don't you wish for another life, sometimes ?” Hux asked, leaning on his elbow.

 

Kylo wondered what it was in his voice that he disliked, the pity or the way it sounded like he himself wanted another life. 

 

“Why would I ?” He lied with a laugh. “I have everything I need and more.”

 

“I don’t know.” Hux looked away, thoughtful. “I can’t picture someone being happy while threatened all the time. How can you make plans or have a family when you could be dead by the morning ?” He looked back at Kylo, who was staring at him, and he combed a hand through his ginger hair with an embarrassed sigh. “Sorry, Kylo, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

 

“You’re not rude. You’re right. That’s why I don’t make plans and don’t date anyone. People close to us yakuzas are weaknesses. I don’t want anyone to suffer because of who I am.” 

 

“Does it mean I am going to get in trouble ?” Hux chuckled in what Kylo thought was an attempt to lighten the mood.

 

“No. It doesn't mean anything, all this.” He gestured vaguely about the restaurant. “And even if you do, you still have my card, right ?” He smirked again.

 

Hux nodded and looked down a bit shyly. “I do.” 

 

“All good, then.” Kylo finished his champagne. “Should we go ?”

 

“Ah, yes.” 

 

Kylo put his coat on and quickly went to the counter to pay. He ignored the surprised look of the waitress when he handed her the 10,000 yen notes and he gave her the change as a tip. 

 

“Thank you very much, Sir.” She said as she bowed respectfully. “Have a nice evening.” 

 

The yakuza nodded and followed Hux outside. As the car was already waiting for them, the chauffeur opened the door for him as Kylo sat on the leather seats. They drove back silently and Kylo accompanied Hux to the door of his okiya in courtesy.

 

“Thank you very much for tonight, Kylo.” He declared, bowing.

 

“Thank you for accepting.”

 

“I am extremely grateful for your invitation.” 

 

“Have a good night. I'll see you Saturday.”

 

With these words, Kylo turned around and walked back to the car. 

 

“How was your evening, Sir ?” The chauffeur asked as soon as the door was closed. 

 

“Good.” He said. “I'm surprised nobody took advantage of the situation to shoot me.”

 

“I think they are licking their wounds after what you did.”

 

“Probably.” He muttered. “It won't last.” 

 

The chauffeur threw a look at him in the mirror.  “What are you going to do, Sir ?”

 

“I don't know yet.” He grunted, thoughtful. “I'll see.” 

 

* * *

 

“May I ask you an indiscreet question, Hux ?” Kylo said as he rolled his sleeves back down.

 

“Please do.” He started with a small smile. “But be aware that I might not be able to give you an answer.”

 

“If I were to stop my patronage, would it be a problem for you ?” He declared bluntly, anchoring his gaze in Hux’s.

 

“What do you mean ?” He frowned slightly. 

 

“Would the lack of income generated by my patronage put you in a delicate situation, financially speaking ?”

 

“Oh.” Hux looked away, slightly embarrassed. “It would put me in quite a precarious situation, indeed. Thanks to you, I am able to reimburse my debt slowly, whereas before I had the honor to serve you, I could barely pay for my daily expenses. I am most grateful for everything, Kylo-danna.”

 

Kylo hummed. “Then, would it be a problem if your other patron stopped seeing you ?” 

 

Hux took a second to think. He looked like he was considering whether or not he could tell this to Kylo. “I cannot say it would make such a difference, as I see him only once a week.” 

 

“So he pays you the minimum he has to, right ?” Kylo licked his lips. 

 

“He… Well he has a more modest income than you do, Sir, but he is a good patron nonetheless.”

 

“I want you to stop seeing him.” He said firmly.

 

“I'm sorry ?” Hux looked dumbstruck.

 

“I want to have an exclusive relationship with you.” 

 

The taikomochi looked at him, mouth agape, seemingly falling short of words. So Kylo spoke again.

 

“If you are hesitating because of your financial situation, I would be happy to come on his day too.” He finished, ready to stand up.

 

“Kylo-danna, I..”

 

“Take some time to think about it.” 

 

“It is not a…I mean, there is no need to buy me.”

 

“Please, think about it.” He rose and exited the small room, waiting for Hux to give him everything back. He took a cigarette from the pack inside his pocket and headed for the door. “I'll see you on Monday.”

 

* * *

 

“So, how are your wounds healing ?” Kylo’s right-hand man asked.

 

“Fine, Boss’ surgeon did a good job.” The man showed the bandages on his arm. 

 

“We're happy to have you back. Wanna know what we did to him ?”

 

“Sure I want to, I wanted to be there, you know it.”

 

Kylo tuned out of the conversation. Sitting next to his right-hand man, he thought about what Hux had said to him Saturday.  _ There’s no need to buy me. _ Buy him. He knew Hux was deep in debt and that he would probably never have enough customers to reimburse it quickly. Considering the fact that he only worked four days a week -probably because no other ochaya wanted a taikomochi to work for them- Kylo guessed he was approximately earning 385,000 yen a week, which probably only covered a small percentage of his debt, once the dry cleaning and hairdresser costs were paid. He played with his ring, deep in thoughts. Could he afford to buy out his debt ? He stroked his mustache mechanically. Could he afford to buy  him entirely ?  

 

“Kylo ?” 

 

He snapped out of his thoughts and threw a bored look to his right-hand man, humming questioningly. 

 

“We had some news about the baker: he paid everything and apologized, he was late because of some accident that happened to his pet.”

 

“Good.”

 

“And someone called yesterday evening. She’s a florist and she asked for protection. Her husband and her were robbed last week, they want us to find them.” 

 

“Has she paid ?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then don’t waste any time, send some men, go with them.”

 

“I will.” 

 

“Oh and before you leave, please bring a formal kimono Friday.” 

 

“Why ? I mean, of course, I will.” He frowned. 

 

“I’m naming you wakagashira.” 

 

The man’s eyes widened in shock and he opened his mouth to speak, but no word came. He closed it, and opened it again. 

 

“Kylo, I-”

 

“I said no time to waste, get the henchmen and resolve that problem.” 

 

“Of course.” He stood up and bowed deeply, obviously still taken aback. He took with him the other man and they left. 

 

* * *

 

“Have you decided yet ?” Kylo asked as he put his coat on. 

 

“I’m deeply sorry, Sir,” Hux started, “but I’d like to have more time to think about it.”

 

“Alright. I give you until Saturday. If you are not decided by this time, I will consider that you couldn’t accede to my request.”

 

“Thank you very much, Sir.” 

 

* * *

 

On Friday morning, Kylo was in his office, removing his casual clothes. On the coat rack was a hanger with a navy kimono on it. Once in his underwear, he took it and put it on patiently before tying the obi. The clan’s kamon was embroidered in white in the back, the back of the sleeves and on each side of the front panels. 

 

He brushed his hair back and headed for another room, on the first floor. He vaguely nodded to the men that greeted him and walked to the room where the six men he held closest to him and a moderator waited for him. They were all sat in two rows, facing each other, and one of them stood up when Kylo entered. They respectfully bowed to each other and kneeled down around a small table where a single cup of sake, a black porcelain sake bottle and a single sheet of beautifully decorated paper sat. On their side was the moderator that proceeded to announce all the formalities. Behind him was a small altar with three scrolls, twelve lit candles, a bottle of sake, a cup and three mounts of salt.

 

After the announcement, he filled the cup with sake and handed it to Kylo, who drank half of it before offering it to his right-hand man. He took it and finished the cup before carefully wrapping it in the paper and securely putting it in a fold of his obi. The moderator then poured sake in the cup on the altar, closing the ceremony. 

 

From this time on, he would be the clan’s number two and nothing would be able to break the bond except himself giving the cup back to Kylo himself. They all headed out of the building, where three chauffeurs were waiting for them. Now was the time to take some well-deserved time off at the local hot springs. 

 

“Thank you very much, Kylo.” Declared his right-hand man once they were in the car. “I couldn’t be more grateful for everything you did for me.”

 

“I know you will take good care of the clan, if anything were to happen to me.” 

 

“I give you my life so that nothing can ever happen to you. My faithfulness to you and the clan is unerring.”  

 

Kylo nodded slightly and they spent the rest of the ride in silence. Once in the bathhouse, they all started to relax as they stripped and talked about more casual things. Kylo smiled and chuckled when he heard his men -his Knights, as he sometimes liked to call those six- discuss about the latest baseball match in the showers. 

 

As they took the small stairs that led outside and to the bigger baths, Kylo observed his men. One of them had tattoos from his arms to his pectorals and from his shoulders and back to his thighs, like he had, most were tattooed from shoulders to thighs or ankles with a single strip of clear skin in the middle of the chest and some only had their back and arms inked.

 

The hot water had a surprisingly soothing effect on him. After all, he was so used to be tense that he didn't even pay attention to it anymore, so it really alleviated his mind to feel his whole body relax. 

 

“What are you thinking about, Boss ?” Said one of the men, noticing he wasn't participating much to the rejoicing.

 

“Ah, not much.” He smiled. “I'm happy to have you and to finally have someone behind me officially.” 

 

“You're right Boss. Look at this lucky son of a-” He stopped, suddenly aware that he shouldn't be talking like that to his superior. 

 

Kylo chuckled and changed the subject. “So, what are you up to, these days ? Any vacation planned ?” 

 

“Vacations ?” Another laughed. “What would we need vacations for ? Business is doing just fine and eh, we can't say we're overbooked all the time, Boss.”

 

“Ah, I was just asking ! Don't your wife and daughter want you to spend more time with them ?” 

 

“They don't wait for me to go on vacation Boss. They went to Okinawa recently, spent a wonderful time, they said.” 

 

Kylo nodded with a little smile. He was glad they were happy. 

 

“How about you Boss ? It's been a while since we’ve last seen a woman on your arm. Or a man, for that matter.”

 

He smirked. Rumours seemed to run fast. “I'm not in the mood for a relationship. I have enough work on my hands, I don't have time for that.” He paused for a second and licked his lips. “And why would I date men ?” 

 

The man who spoke suddenly looked nervous. “You know, there's rumours about you and uh.. Who you may be seeing. But that's just what they are, rumours.” 

 

“Are there ?” He faked surprise. “Tell me more.” 

 

His right hand-man spoke before the other could utter any word. “Someone from another clan saw you at the restaurant with that ginger man. Some of us know it wasn't a date, you're not the kind of person that does that especially not in public, but it spread. And I think that same member saw you in the ochaya you usually go, with that same ginger. It makes people talk.”

 

“Let them talk and believe what they want. I don't care about rumours. So you can reassure yourselves, men, I won't try to seduce you. “ He laughed and they all seemed to relax. “That taikomochi is a friend. I was curious when I heard there was one here, so I met him. Fascinating, really, to meet a man like this.” 

 

Not long after, the subject changed again and the whole thing was forgotten. He listened to them speak and sometimes intervened to add a thing or two, after what they left and went to a bar to celebrate. Alcohol flowed like water and before they knew it, the sun was starting to show up. 

 

“Ah.” Kylo said, aware he was quite drunk and probably slurring a bit. “Dawn is here, boys. Time for you to go to bed. Take the day off if you want, get some rest.”

 

“What ‘bout you, Boss ?”

 

“I’ll head home and have some sleep.” He read on their faces the relief they felt: they wouldn’t have to feel bad for not coming while their boss worked. 

 

“I’ll see you on Monday, guys. Enjoy your week-end.” 

 

As he was driven back home, he felt himself doze off to the regular humming of the car. He started awake when his bodyguard gently shook him and he realised they were in front of his door. He yawned and stretched a bit before saying goodnight to him and immediately going to bed. He only had the energy to untie and remove the obi before he collapsed on the soft blanket and passed out. 

 

 

* * *

 

Kylo was leaned back on the wall, intensely watching Hux with his cup of tea in hand, waiting for him to speak. A strong headache was drilling in the back of his brain and the calm barely made it any better. From the second he had woken up he had regretted having drunk so much. He knew his hangovers usually didn’t last very long, but this one didn’t seem to want to go away. 

 

Hux finished pouring the hot water on the tea leaves and finally spoke, not looking at him. 

 

“I took a decision, Kylo-danna.”

 

Kylo didn’t intervene.

 

“I agree to your proposition. I will inform my other patron on Wednesday that I will no longer be able to serve him.” 

 

“Do you need me to be there ?”

 

“No, don’t worry.” He smiled. 

 

“I’ll take your Wednesday evening too, then.”

 

"Thank you, Sir, I am grateful for what you do for me.”

  
“Don’t worry.” He said. Deep down, he felt like he had to do it, like it was the only way to purchase forgiveness for the atrocities he did.  _ Thank you for saving my soul,  _ he wanted to add, but it only made him laugh internally. As if he could be saved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading !   
> I hope you liked the drier, darker side of Kylo (even in his attempts to be cool and open), and I'll see you next week !


	5. The prostitute

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter ! Thanks to everyone who read the last chapters !  
> I'm sorry to say that Kylo might not be as good a man as we thought... Or is he ?
> 
> Every term related to Japan/Japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance
> 
> Soapland: luxurous brothel ran by yakuza, often situated in red-light districts, where women service men with erotic massages, erotic baths and intercourse.  
> Sukebe chair: small stool with a U-shapped hole in the middle. When seated on it, the hole enables acces to every part of the lower body.  
> Pearls: refer to the technique called "pearling". Yakuzas insert small beads under the skin of their penis when they are in prison, usually one for each year spent behind the bars.

For the third time in the week, Kylo woke up with a raging hard-on. He cursed under his breath as he remembered vague snippets of his dream. Thin lips against his, neatly trimmed ginger hairs. He stood and lazily walked to the bathroom for a shower. He didn’t feel like rubbing it out, the arousal already gone and a weird feeling creeping in the back of his mind. It should have felt wrong. He didn’t want to see Hux like _that_. He wanted him to be the little brother that could save him, the pillar tying him to reality outside his violent world.

 

He sighed and stepped under the hot water, clearing his head as he rubbed himself clean. After that, he shaved, leaving only his mustache and goatee and heated a little amount of pommade in his hands before brushing them in his hair.

 

On his way to the headquarters, he thought about this new evening with Hux. He still had some days before it, as only a week had passed, but he was curious to meet him that night and to know how everything had gone with the other client. He casually left the car as his bodyguard went to park it and entered the tall building. As every other Saturdays, fewer men were here and overall everything was quieter. He asked for some tea as he walked to his office and waited for his right-hand man -or, like he could call him now, his lieutenant - to come and make his usual report. He met every morning with one of his six _Knights_ to have a short overview of the clan’s business and plan the day. This morning, Kylo wasn’t surprised to hear the same boring news than the day before: volume of drug sold, earnings from the pachinko parlours, negligible incidents with the girls because of drunk customers.

 

“All good, then.” He still answered.

 

“Yeah.” The wakagashira said, brushing a hand in his short hair. “With that florist case closed, we don’t have much to do these days.”

 

“Are you complaining ?” Kylo smirked.

 

“Not the slightest.” He chuckled.

 

“We’re still not done with Statura,” he started, suddenly becoming serious, “so let’s not be too relaxed. We don’t know what shit he’s capable of pulling.”

 

“Yes.” He nodded. “But I don’t think he wants war. He just tested the waters, defined how much he could fuck with us before we reacted.”

 

Kylo sneered. “We certainly did not disappoint.”

 

The man hummed. “I wonder what they did to him after he came back there butt-naked and bleeding everywhere.”

 

“Probably threw him out.”

 

He nodded again. “I’ll let you work, Kylo. If you need me, please call.”

 

Kylo nodded back and watched as he left. He was right, everything was quiet and deep down it worried him. Nothing could be that calm without hiding a catastrophe. It would come, he was sure of it. When and how, he wondered, but it would come.

 

* * *

 

 

Kylo swallowed hard his mouthful of sake. Flashes of thin yet masculine hands clenching sheets appeared in his mind as Hux adjusted his kimono when he sat. He shouldn’t be thinking about it, he shouldn’t even had dreamt of it in the first place. It was all wrong. He played with his ring and asked him about the other patron.

 

“Well,” Hux started with what looked like a contained smile, “you are now my only patron, Sir.”

 

“How did it go ?”

 

“He was understanding. A little sad, too.”

 

“Are you sad ?”

 

“We didn’t have the same relationship that you and I do.”

 

“Were you...Closer ?” It came out colder than Kylo expected.

 

“Not really. It was just very different. Your temper and his are nothing alike, that’s all.”

 

“Was he gentler with you, then ?”

 

“No.” Hux looked embarrassed by the nosy questions, but Kylo wanted to know. “I mean that you are bolder. He was a little less talkative, maybe slightly more discreet.”

 

“So he was shy.”

 

The ginger didn’t answer. Kylo decided not to push him further.

 

“Thank you for letting me have an exclusive relationship with you, Hux.”

 

They both bowed in deep respect. After that, the taikomochi danced for him and told him about how he had come to love dancing so much during his training. The wish to be as graceful as geishas, to amaze people, to share something without having to use verbal language. He loved it all, Kylo learnt.

 

After some more chatting and a few drinks, Kylo prepared to leave. As he was about to put on his coat, Hux insisted on helping him, despite the fact that he had told him he didn’t have to bother with this. So Kylo let it happen. Once the garment on, Hux stood in front of him, close enough to adjust the coat on his shoulders and to smooth the lapels down. _Too close_ , Kylo told himself. He almost jerked away when Hux raised his head and he realised they were merely inches apart. So he casually took a step back and nodded as a thank you.

 

“I’ll see you on Monday, Kylo-danna. Take care of yourself until then.”

 

“Yes, see you on Monday.” He grunted, a hand on the doorknob. “Thank you.”

 

He sat in the car with a huff and an unpleasant tingle at the back of his mind.

 

“How was your evening, Sir ?”

 

“Drive me to the Orchid.” He answered.

 

“Do you mean, your soapland ?”

 

“Yeah, there.”

 

“Yes, Sir.” He didn’t ask more questions.

 

After all, that was what Kylo liked in him. He wasn’t nosy, didn’t seem to care about where he went and obeyed without objecting. The soapland wasn’t far, and in a matter of minutes they reached their destination.

 

“When should I come and pick you up ?”

 

“Come back in two hours.”

 

“All right, Sir.”

 

Kylo observed the polished white facade for a second before stepping in.

 

“Good evening, Sir.” Someone immediately greeted him. Kylo politely answered. “Is there someone special you wish to meet tonight ?” The man continued.

 

“No.” He mumbled.

 

“In this case, please, have a sit in the waiting room. One of our employee will soon come.”

 

He nodded briefly and headed for the slightly darker room next to the vestibule. There, he sat in one of the expensive armchairs and checked his phone as he waited. He wondered if the man had recognised him. It didn’t matter, the girls knew who he was anyway. Before long, a young man came to him with a booklet in hand. On there were the fees and the pictures of the girls. He was thin, with light-brown hair styled in this spiky way Kylo hated. They recognised each other but didn’t say anything. Kylo only declared he would take two hours with a short girl named Tomoe.

 

“Will that be all ?” The young man asked and Kylo looked up at him, trying to remember his name. Satoru. He looked in his eyes and sharply nodded once. “Then I will see you later, Sir. Tomoe will come and pick you up in a minute. Have a good night.” He smiled politely and left.

 

He didn’t know why, but his blood was starting to boil in his veins. The girl soon showed up, wearing nothing but a very short, skin-tight dress and heels. He stood up and followed her on the first floor and to a private room. Inside were a large bed, a table with two chairs, a bathtub and a walk-in shower.The room was well lit, with no windows, dark blue tiles around the bathtub and dark grey ones everywhere else. At the foot of the bed was a long, flat cushion covered in black velvet. The light smell of amber floating in the air relaxed him and he only snapped out of his thoughts when the girl stepped in front of him.

 

He looked down at her and leaned in, receiving her welcome kiss.

 

“Thank you for choosing me tonight, Sir. I will try my best to please you and make your evening enjoyable.” She smiled.

 

She then proceeded to take off his coat and hang it neatly, before gently removing the leather holster and gently putting it down on a chair. As she bent down to untie his shoes, he delightfully watched her breasts in the low-cut neckline of her dress. She asked him to step out of them before putting them away and once more coming to kiss him. She took his hands and placed them on her waist, soon pressing her chest against him and kissing him again. After a few seconds, she gently pushed him away and turned around, asking him to unzip her dress. He licked his lips and did it, watching as she let it drop on the floor and now pressed back against him, fully naked. She took his hands once more and placed them right under her breasts, and Kylo immediately slid them up, enjoying their weight for a second before fondling them slowly.

 

As she grinded against him, he could feel himself slowly getting hard and he closed his eyes, enjoying the simple ministration and focusing on pinching one of her nipples. She let out a moan and grabbed one his hand and slid it down until his fingers reached her pussy, and she started rubbing against them, more moans leaving her mouth. As he told himself to enjoy it as much as he could, she gradually stopped and she turned to kiss him deeply before asking him to wait for a minute.

 

Not long after, a hand landed on his shoulder, colder and heavier that hers, and he smirked to himself as he looked to that person.

 

“You are quite a sight when you’re all hot and bothered.”

 

“It’s been a while, Satoru.” He answered.

 

“You’re the one that doesn’t come anymore.” The young man said, not wasting any time to undress. Kylo stayed silent and simply accepted the kiss he gave him. “Keeping that cold face of yours even when you’re that hard…” Satoru continued, palming him through his pants, eliciting a low grunt. “You truly are like no other.”

 

He chuckled when he saw Kylo’s face hadn’t changed, and stopped him when he tried to undress.

 

“Let me do it for you.” He whispered against his ear, his hands working on the buttons of his shirt. Once all undone, he helped him remove it and put it on another hanger before kneeling down and working on Kylo’s belt and fly. His breath hitched when he slid it down and he closed his eyes when a warm hand came to cup him through his underwear.

 

“When was the last time you were with a man ?” Satoru asked, hooking his fingers in the waistband of his boxer shorts.

 

“I don’t think I pay you to speak.” Kylo mumbled, opening his eyes and looking down.

 

The young man hummed. “Actually, you don’t pay me. It’s not my name on the paper.”

 

Kylo snorted. “I know you take the money of each single minute I spend with you off of the girl’s paycheck.”

 

Satoru licked his lips as he freed him and relished the hiss Kylo made. “Well, when I work, I get paid, it’s only fair, don’t you think ?”

 

“How about you shut up ?” He answered, putting his hand on his head lightly.

 

He only earned another hum before the man licked at him, slowly dragging his hot tongue on his skin. He let his eyelids fall shut again and focused on each and every move the man made on him. He noticed he pressed his tongue flat on him when he swallowed him, but stroked in short horizontal lines when he slid up. A pleasured hiss followed by a sigh escaped him when he circled his head with his tongue, licking over his slit every once in a while. Kylo swallowed hard, but before any sound could leave his mouth again, the man stopped. He opened his eyes and stepped out of his clothes, knowing where he was headed to next.

 

As the man took his hand and placed him in the walk-in shower, he noticed he was hard too, and it took everything he had not to mention it.

 

“I guess there is no need for me to bring out the sukebe chair ?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

 

“No. I never liked it, it hasn’t changed.”

 

Satoru nodded and turned on the water, waiting for it to be a warm temperature before letting Kylo under it. Once wet, he stepped under the stream too and turned the tap off, soon grabbing a bottle of shower gel. Its light minty scent reminded Kylo of the other times with him, in one of these rooms. As Satoru was lathering himself, he turned his back to him and didn’t have to wait long before a hot chest pressed against him. Soapy hands came to his front and rubbed his torso, lingering on his nipples for a bit before plunging down and grabbing his erection. Kylo looked down, observing the hand stroking him in a daze.

 

Satoru’s free hand slid along his arm and then to his loins and backside. “You know,” he started, pressing his body flush against him once more and kneading his shoulder, his own slick shaft sliding against his ass, “your tattoos really get me hard.”

 

Kylo snorted. “What is it that makes you hard ? The ink or the risk ?”

 

“Both, I guess.” He stepped back and turned Kylo around to violently press his lips on his. “Knowing you could snap my spine at any moment turns me on.”

 

“You’re fucked in the head.” Kylo pushed him and stuck him against the wall, kissing -devouring- him some more and rubbing against him. This time when he pulled away, he was panting a little.

 

“There you go, losing your cool.” A smirk stretched his lips. “I like that better.”

 

“I’ll fuck your brains out.” He said between gritted teeth.

 

“Shhh.” He pushed him away and went back to rubbing him clean. “All in due time.”

 

He reached down and fondled his balls softly, smirking even wider when Kylo grabbed his wrist with a grunt. “Forgot they were so sensitive.” He then slid his hands on his ass and continued washing him naughtily for a while before turning the water on again and rinsing all the foam down.

  
After that, he led him to the bathtub and removed the panels covering it to reveal the warm water in the large tub.

 

“Please.” He said, gesturing toward it. “Take some time to relax before we continue.”

 

Kylo sat down in the tub and sighed in bliss. The hot water released the tension in his loins and shoulders and he made himself comfortable, closing his eyes as he knew Satoru would be cleaning the shower and preparing everything they might need later.

 

As his mind drifted back to work, he forgot about what was happening in the room for some time. He jerked when Satoru touched his shoulder, which only made him laugh.

 

“Already forgot about me ? I’m offended.”

 

Kylo didn’t say anything and exited the tub, only to find himself having to stand still for the young man to rub him dry.

 

“Well now I’m really offended.” He declared when he saw Kylo had gone soft.

 

“Shhh.” Kylo chuckled, mimicking him. “All in due time.”

 

Satoru grabbed his neck and crashed his lips on his, whimpering in the process, turning the kiss into a battle, sloppy tongues sliding against each other, teeth biting and colliding. Then, he made Kylo sit on the edge of the bed while he kneeled on the cushion and he coated two of his fingers in lube before swallowing Kylo whole again.

 

The yakuza shamelessly ogled him open himself as he quickly became hard again in his mouth.

 

“You still haven’t done any prison.” He said when he put wet kisses along the shaft.

 

“How would you know ?” He asked, one hand tangled in his hair.

 

“You still have no pearl.”

 

“I’m the boss, I don’t go to prison.”

 

“Yeah, I know how it works, you send a young recruit instead, don’t you ?”

 

“Yeah, the nosy pieces of shit, just like you.”

 

Satoru smirked and shrugged. “Pearls feel better for me, that’s all.” With these words, he opened his mouth wide and took all of him in one go, deep-throating him effortlessly. It made Kylo moan and he cursed him internally. The bastard knew what he liked.

 

As he worked his lips skillfully along his length, he sometimes moaned around him as he pleasured himself with his fingers. Not long after, he removed them and stood up, telling Kylo to lay on his back on the bed, which he did. He poured some lube on him, generously coating him, and straddled his hips, lining himself up.

 

“Safety first, huh ?” Kylo mumbled with sarcasm.

 

“How will you fill me up if there’s rubber blocking the way ?”

 

“I don’t know who and what has been in you and I’d like it if you kept anything you got.”

 

“Relax.” He whispered against his ear, slightly biting at the shell. “We’re a high-end soapland. Every sex-worker is tested regularly.” He lowered slowly on Kylo’s hard shaft with a frown. “You out of all people running this establishment should know it.”  

 

The more he lowered, the deeper his frown became. He licked his lips as he finally had him entirely in and exhaled slowly. “Forgot what it felt to take all of you there.”

 

On his side, Kylo’s heart was beating fast in his chest and his fingers prickled. He needed more, he had to let some steam out, quick.

 

“We used to fuck more often.” He said, voice becoming hoarse. “Safely.” He added with a smirk.

 

“Psychorigid.”

 

“You better start moving or I’ll just flip us over and show little to no care for your well-being.”

 

Satoru only snorted and started lifting himself up slowly, then back down, a wave of heat lazily rolling up Kylo’s spine. He put his hands behind his head, under the pillow, and grabbed it. He was achingly hard, deliciously tight in him and all he wanted was to pound in him until he cried. He bit his lip. He needed to breathe.

 

The young man continued his slow rocking, going slightly faster each time he felt comfortable with it, and sooner than Kylo would have expected, he was moaning in pleasure each time he slid down.

 

“You’re okay ?” Kylo groaned, starting to pant.

 

“Shit- More than okay.” Satoru nodded.

 

So Kylo stopped him, slipped out and asked him to get on his hands and knees. He obeyed quickly and the yakuza guided himself back in, gently entering until the hilt before starting a quick pace, his hands firmly locked on his hips. He watched through a haze as Satoru arched more and more and he used one of his hands to grab a fistful of his hair, relishing the pained groan he forced out of him and the hypnotizing curve of his back. Before long, he let go of his hair and latched his hand back on his hip, closing his eyes with a grunt of satisfaction. The young man moaned, and suddenly it was a mop of ginger hair that appeared on Kylo’s lids. His eyes shot open and he unconsciously slowed down. He couldn’t think that about _him_.

 

“Already coming ?” Came the panting voice of Satoru. “I remembered you more-” He didn’t finish his sentence as he moaned loudly when Kylo slammed back in violently.

 

“Didn’t I tell you to shut up earlier ?”

 

Instead of answering, the young man giggled and pushed himself backwards. Kylo shook his head and started snapping his hips faster again. He slid one hand on his ass and fondled it for a moment, enjoying its firmness, before he slapped it sharply. Satoru cried out in what Kylo guessed was a mix of surprise, pain and maybe even pleasure. What he knew, though,  was that it sent powerful jolts down his spine and right to his cock. So he slapped him again and grunted when he heard him cry again. It was bringing him dangerously close to the edge. He swallowed hard and smoothed his hands on Satoru’s back, slowing down a bit. He wondered if he was close to coming. He didn’t really care.

 

“I didn’t remember you were such a gentle lover.” Satoru chuckled.

 

Kylo closed his eyes and ignored what he had said. Instead he continued pumping in and out of him in a steady rhythm, leisurely enough to regain some of his breath and cool his skin. He picked up the pace while keeping his thrusts deep and decided to go for it. So he slid his hands blindly back to his hips and hooked his fingers there for support. The more he fucked him, the tenser his whole body seemed to be, and he couldn’t wait for his release to come. He couldn’t remember the last time he had good sex, let alone with a man, so he let himself drown in the sensations, gritting his teeth. In the room echoed their shallow breathing and the sound of skin on skin, only disturbed by Satoru’s occasional moans. The light amber scent now seemed too sweet, almost sickening.

 

“Fuck-” He groaned, trying his best to control his movements. The edge was drawing nearer and nearer with each thrust.

 

“Come in me.” The young man breathed out. “Fill me up with your cum.” He begged.

 

Kylo felt his loins burning and his balls tightening. A dull heat was spreading from his midsection and he thrusted harder.

 

“Yes, Kylo-”

 

On his eyelids formed familiar hands clenching around sheets, familiar eyes falling shut. He cursed again. Hux’s back arching from the bed as he-

 

“Fuck-” He panted when he came, giving a few violent thrusts, his cock throbbing almost painfully. His body tensed up and for a moment he couldn’t breathe. His hands tightened around Satoru’s hipbone even more and he felt his short nails dig in the skin. He huffed heavily as his orgasm rippled through him in a devastating wave of pure bliss.

 

“Fuck…” He let out again when he reopened his eyes, sweat dripping from his brow and heart hammering against his ribcage, gasping for air. He swallowed hard, mouth and throat dry, and opened his hands, now resting them on Satoru’s back for support as he rode out his orgasm. When the pleasure started to fade, he opened and closed his fists a few times to chase away the pins and needles in his fingers and the pain in his joints.

 

He brushed his damp hair back and carefully slid out before letting himself fall on his back next to the other with a sigh. Satoru straightened and placed himself so that Kylo could see him before stroking himself for a few seconds and coming in his hand with a moan.

 

The yakuza put his hands under his head and kept on watching him until he came down from his high. When he was finally back to breathing normally again, he stood and threw a sly smirk to Kylo.

 

“You’re still a good lay.” He rasped.

 

Kylo sniggered.

 

“Do you want to shower with me or would you rather do it alone ?”

 

“I don’t mind you.” Kylo said and left the bed, taking the few steps separating him from the shower. “This way I can just let you do the work and all I’ll have to do is get home and sleep.”

 

Satoru smiled. “That’s the idea.”

 

He didn’t waste any time to turn the tap on and take the shower gel, cleaning Kylo thoroughly. The yakuza frowned slightly when he slipped his hand on his testicles.

 

“Sensitive even when you’re not aroused ?” He chuckled, moving to another part of his body.

 

Kylo hummed vaguely.  He felt drained. He wondered how long it had been since he last had such an intense orgasm. He shrugged to himself: it didn’t really matter.

 

Once clean and dry, Satoru left and let him dress. Kylo then made sure he had everything and went downstairs to the reception. He knew he wasn’t supposed to leave before he was given a signal that the corridor was empty -for privacy reasons- but he didn’t care.

 

“I hope you had a great evening, Sir.” The man at the desk declared politely.

 

“We hope to see you again soon.” Came a voice on his right.

 

Kylo smirked and slightly bowed in Satoru’s direction before doing the same with the older man. Outside, the black car was waiting for him and he got in just as immediately as he collapsed in bed later.

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Your okiya is just at the end of the street, right ?” Kylo asked in a low voice.

 

“Yes, Kylo-danna.” Hux smiled.

 

“Will you be there Friday afternoon ?”

 

“Yes, I think so. May I ask why ?”

 

“Ah,” Kylo tried his best to hide his satisfied look, “you’ll see.”

 

A slightly worried look wrinkled Hux’s face for a second, but he soon made it disappear for his usual smile. “Should I wear something more casual ?”

 

“No, don’t worry about it.”  Kylo mechanically played with his ring. “Just be there.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kylo stood before a small wooden door. He had just knocked and was waiting for someone to open. It was a young woman that appeared in the door.

 

“May I help you, Sir ?”

 

“I wish to talk to your okaasan.” He declared calmly, guessing she must have been a maiko.

 

“Please, wait a moment.” She said and closed the door. So he waited. Soon, an older, shorter lady faced him.

 

“How can I help you, Sir ?”

 

“May I come in ?”

 

The older woman eyed him warily and without looking at himself, he realised he had left his shirt slightly more open, just like he did at the office, and that she could probably see slivers of tattooed skin from where she stood.

 

“Without any disrespect, your kind is not very much appreciated in this district, Sir.” She told him, looking back up in his eyes.

 

“Please.” He smiled. “I have an important matter to discuss with you.”

 

Her frown deepened but she finally sighed and stepped aside to let him in. She guided him in a small dining-room and asked for the younger woman to prepare some tea.

 

“What did you want to discuss about ?” She asked bluntly, and Kylo could see in her attitude that she was uncomfortable with his presence.

 

“Hux.” He stopped and locked eyes with her. “How much of a debt does he have to you ?”

 

“I’m sorry ?” She frowned in confusion. “Does he owe you money ?”

 

“No.” He was about to continue when the girl came with a tray and two cups of hot tea. She politely bowed and retreated, only for Hux to come in.

 

“Ah, Kylo-danna.” He bowed deeply. “My little sister just told me someone was here, I did not know it was you. I am sorry for being late.”

 

“Don’t worry.” He said, and the woman seemed even more confused than before.

 

“So you’re _him_ ,” she said almost in a question, “the one that wanted an exclusive relationship.”

 

“I am.”

 

“What do you want from us ?”

 

Kylo reached in the inner pocket of his coat and slid a thin envelope to the woman. She eyed it dubiously until he gestured for her to open it. She had a light backward movement when she saw the cheque.

 

“What is this ?” Kylo could hear fear lacing in her voice. “If this is a loan, please be aware that I won’t take it.”

 

“This is my contribution, if you will.”

 

“To what ?” Her eyes darted to Hux, but the confused look on his face didn’t ease any of her worriness away.

 

“I am buying his debt.”

 

A shocked wince contorted her face and Hux’s at the same moment.

 

“I know he doesn’t earn enough to repay you as much as you and your okiya would need. Please, let me do that for you.” _And for him_ , he almost added, but he was better off not making her think they were lovers.

 

“But this..” She stuttered. “This is way too much.” She put the piece of paper down.

 

“It will provide for enough time for him not to work or to leave if he wishes to.”

 

“Wait.” Hux finally spoke. “How much is there ?”

 

“Thirty two million yen.” Kylo let out.

 

“What..?”  Hux gasped. “I can't accept that much, this is-”

 

“Please, take it.”

 

“I cannot accept such an amount.”

 

“We are sorry, Sir,” said the woman, “but I am afraid we have to decline your present.”

 

“I know he owes you twelve million yen at least.” Kylo brushed his hair back. “This is not an offer.”

 

“Kylo-danna.” Hux started, voice weak now. “I will never be able to pay back all this money.”

 

“I'm not asking you to reimburse me. Take it as if I was… Buying your freedom.”

 

“What are you insinuating ?” Suddenly, Kylo could hear confusion in his voice. “That you are buying me ?” And maybe hurt. “I am not some kind of… Merchandise.”

 

“You could see it that way, indeed, but I am not buying you because I want you to be my property. I am buying you because I want you not to be anyone’s property anymore.”

 

A heavy silence fell between them and Kylo took a sip of his tea slowly. After a while, the older woman stood.

 

“I am willing to take the money if Hux agrees to it. Please, take all the time you need to discuss it.” With these words, she bowed and left the small room.

 

Hux opened his mouth to speak but nothing came. So he closed it and looked away, embarrassed.

 

“I won’t take no as an answer.” Kylo mumbled.

 

“I really appreciate what you do for me, but... This is too much. I don’t deserve any yen of those thirty two millions.”

 

“Don’t you wish for another life ?”

 

“My life is here, with them. I have people to care for.”

 

Kylo held in a bitter laugh. “This is not what I meant. You can stay here and keep on working for the teahouse if you wish. But you won’t be in debt anymore.”

 

“What about the twenty millions left, once my debt gone ? It is just too much.”

 

“Do as you please with it. Consider it the price of your being. Give it to your okaasan or pay the debt of your sister, if this is what you want, but do not give it back to me.”

 

“Kylo…” He whispered, embarrassed and confused, forgetting politeness. “You did not have to do that… Thank you.” He bowed low. “I cannot say how much I thank you. I am extremely grateful for everything.” His voice trembled. “Thank you, Kylo-danna.”

 

The yakuza had a small smile. “Will you keep on working for the ochaya ?”

 

“I…” Hux brushed a hand in his hair and Kylo noticed how it shook. “Yes, I think so. Will you come ?”

 

“I will.”

 

“But please, do not pay me. You gave me too much already.”

 

“The money will go the teahouse directly, then.”

 

Hux nodded.

 

“But I'll only be here on Saturday this week.”

 

“Don’t worry about me.” The tiniest of smiles lifted the corners of his mouth, timidly hiding behind the embarrassment and red cheeks.

 

“Please, thank your okaasan deeply for accepting.”

 

“You are already leaving ? Should I call her now ?”

 

“No.” He shook his head slightly and headed for the door. “Just tell her that. And, sorry for leaving, I have some urgent business that need to be tended to. Be well.”

 

* * *

 

 

On Thursday morning, Kylo woke up early and went for a shower before checking his phone. He took it with him downstairs once he was dressed and scrolled through the messages, not really paying attention to them. He made himself a coffee and was about to take a sip when his eyes caught something.

 

_Alright, I'll tell him as soon as he arrives._

 

He frowned and looked at the next messages, putting the cup down.

 

_It's probably nobody._

 

 _Whoever it was, you told me they called him_ Kylo _. It can't be nobody._

 

It was enough for him to grab his holster and coat in the entranceway and leave. He blessed his bodyguard to be in front of his place thirty minutes early every morning.

 

“Good morning, Sir.”

 

“I need to be there fast.”

 

“Are you in a hurry today ?”

 

“I might be.”

 

The chauffeur said nothing and stepped on the throttle. Kylo jumped out of the car as soon as they stopped in front of the headquarters and rushed inside. He used the time he spent in the elevator to breathe calmly. He didn't know why, but his heart had suddenly started running in his chest and his skin prickled everywhere. Something felt wrong.

 

He stormed in his office and wasn't surprised to see there his lieutenant and one of the subordinates. The look on their faces told him they had noticed his uneasiness.

 

“What's happening ?” He snapped.

 

“Someone called and asked for you, Sir.” Started the subordinate, his voice unsure.

 

“Who was it ?”

 

“Kylo.” His wakagashira said calmly. “It was Hux. He's in trouble.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week !


	6. The fool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! Here's this week's chapter !  
> I added a drawing (I'm sorry it's far from good but I promised it) to finally show Hux (at least how I saw him in this chapter) !  
> I hope you'll enjoy this chapter !
> 
> No term related to Japan/Japanese culture this time !

A wave of fury mixed with fear crashed on him. Not fear for himself. Fear for Hux.

 

“How ?” He forced himself to breathe slowly.

 

“Two of our men took the calls, the first was at ten in the evening. I was told a man asked for you, saying he didn't feel right, like he was observed and that a black car with tinted windows was parked in front of the teahouse. The second was around midnight, Hux said he needed you and that the car was still there. The third one was soon after and he sounded out of breath.”

 

“What did he say ?” Kylo's blood was boiling in his veins in rage.

 

“That he was afraid.”

 

“And none of you helped him ?” He said loudly, shaking. He was so close to hitting one of them that he had to grip the edge of the desk to restrain himself from it.

 

“They only told us in the morning.”

 

“This morning ?” He saw both men wince to his question.

 

“Yesterday morning.”

 

He closed his eyes, wondering how he found the strength to keep his hands where they were. He swallowed through a closed throat.

 

“Give me the phone number. I'll call.”

 

“Sir, I don't think…” The subordinate’s voice died down when Kylo glared at him.

 

“You're not in a position to give me advice. Give me that number.”

 

The short man nodded, looking away, and took a small notebook from his pocket, where he had written down all the information he had heard. Phone in hand, Kylo dialled and didn't have to wait long for someone to answer.

 

“Ah, Kylo.” Came a voice, and he swore the wood would crack if he gripped it any tighter. “I knew you would call.”

 

“You fucking bastard.”

 

“Now, now,” Statura chuckled, “no need to be that polite with me.”

 

“What have you done to him ?”

 

“What I have done _with_ him, rather. I wonder if you really care, you know ? It took you a full day to react, which is, one might say, quite long.”

 

“What do you want ?”

 

“I could tell you I want money, a part of your territory or, I don't know, submission to my clan. But that's not quite it, y’know. I want your head.”

 

Kylo snorted. “That's it ? If you just wanted me dead, you could have sent an assassin.”

 

“It is still quite painful to admit it, but I tried. Unsuccessfully, though. You're harder to kill than you think.”

 

“You'd better succeed soon, because if you don't, I'll take yours.”

 

“I expected nothing less from you. But if I were you, I'd hurry. A little bird told me your most valuable _friend_ , here…” He said with a small laugh. “Is as pure as a child. If you're not here in two days, I'm afraid him and his purity will be given to the highest bidder.”

 

“What ?” He grunted. He didn't believe a word of it.

 

“We used to buy our employees from the same place, didn't we ? Go on and look.”

 

Kylo asked for his lieutenant’s phone and went on an old website where he used to find the worst scum on the face of earth that wished to do the dirty work to earn money. On the main page was the most expensive _item_. Kylo felt his breath get stuck in his throat. He tapped on the screen and watched as the price endlessly increased before scrolling down and seeing a picture of Hux. He was sitting on the floor of a well-lit carpeted room, wig gone, most of his makeup messily wiped away. His wrinkled kimono and the beaten look on his face, turned away from the camera, woke up a deep anger in Kylo.

 

 

“There won't be anything left of you to burn at your funeral when I'll be finished with you.”

 

“Pretty amazing how quickly the bids go up for a man, isn't it ? No wonder why you bought him for that much money, you must be eager to be the first one he’ll-”

 

“Shut the fuck up, Statura.” A raucous laugh came to him through the phone.

 

“Come and get me, you know where I am. He's with me. We'll be waiting for you two days, no more, no less.”

 

With that, he hung up and Kylo cursed loudly. He brushed a hand in his hair and saw how bad he shook, which only angered him further.

 

“He’s probably not in his headquarters.” He finally declared, going for the minibar and pouring himself a whiskey with difficulty. He couldn't bear the cold claws of fear digging in his guts. “Find him.” He downed his glass in one go. “I'll be waiting for you and the other five here tomorrow morning.”

 

He was about to leave when he turned to the subordinate. “As for you, you’d better have those two men in here when we have Hux back.”  

 

* * *

 

 

After a restless night spent exchanging messages with his lieutenant as him and his Knights worked on finding where Statura was hidden, he left the small room that he used as an office in the house at five in the morning. Downstairs was his bodyguard, cleaning and preparing enough weapons for all eight, jacket and tie gone. He greeted him politely and Kylo looked over his shoulder at the knives and guns spread on the coffee table.

 

He poured himself a glass of gin and swallowed it in one go before going back up for a shower. He let the scorching up water burn his skin for long minutes before turning it icy cold. After a few seconds, he stepped out and rubbed himself dry before tying his hair up in a small bun. Half of his too short hair fell out of it, but he didn’t care. He slid on a pair of black stretchy jeans, black boots and a short sleeved black shirt on which was printed a tiny white cherry blossom pattern. It was a gift he hated and had never worn more than twice. He shrugged and went back downstairs.

 

His bodyguard threw him an amused look and he chuckled, pushing the silent remark away with his hand. He opened a cupboard and took a few holsters in it, that he immediately put on. One inside the waistband in his back, another on his thigh and his usual shoulder one. He knew he wouldn’t be alone, there was no use for more guns. He retrieved the flick-knife from his coat and slid it in his back pocket.

 

“You should get some sleep, Sir.”

 

Kylo turned around to find his chauffeur sitting on the arm of the sofa.

 

“I won’t be able to sleep.”

 

“How about a coffee then ?”

 

He smiled. “Yeah, that’s a seducing idea.”

 

The tall man nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Kylo found the situation ironic, knowing that he had just drunk alcohol, but he supposed ruining his stomach further wasn’t such a big deal, after all.

 

“What will you do once we have him ?” Came his voice from there.

 

“What do you mean ?” He joined him and leaned on the counter.

 

“You probably already thought about it, Sir, but I don’t think it wise to let him go back to his okiya, at least not that soon.”

 

Kylo hummed. “Yeah, it’s out of the question, but I’ll think about that later.”

 

“Is everything ready yet ?”

 

“Yeah.” He nodded vaguely and took the cup the man handed him. “Almost.”

 

“May I ask you a question, Sir ?”

 

“Is it indiscreet ?”

 

The bodyguard laughed lightly. “Yes.” Kylo gestured for him to ask. “What is your relationship with this man ?”

 

Kylo was taken aback by the question. He made his coffee swirl in his cup and thought for a little while. He himself didn't even know. On his side, he considered him like a little brother -he pushed away the memory of the dirty dreams that popped in his head - and he believed Hux saw him as a protective friend, a kind of big brother.

 

“I think we’re friends.” He said, still thinking. He drank some of his coffee and ignored the vivid image of a soft orange kimono falling open on trimmed ginger hairs. “Or at least, I hope we are.”

 

“Why wouldn't you be friends ?”

 

“I'm afraid he didn't appreciate a lot that I came to buy him the other day.”

 

“Ah.” The chauffeur hummed. “He shouldn't think about it. You've given me a new life when I came to you, so I don't doubt you will do the same with him.”

 

The words made a small smile stretch his lips. “But you were willing.”

 

“I don't think you should worry about that, Sir.”

 

“You're right. What time is it ?”

 

“Five forty two, Sir.”

 

“Let's go then, we'll meet everyone there.”

 

The chauffeur nodded and Kylo traded his unhandy, long coat for a short black leather jacket. As he put it on, he watched the other man stuff the weapons in a large sports bag and soon they were in the car, driving to the headquarters. Once there, Kylo noticed a few lights were on, which meant the others were already here.

 

“So.” He said loudly when he stepped in his office followed by his chauffeur. The brouhaha immediately stopped. “Everyone's ready ?” The men all nodded. “If you don't already have one, take a gun and a knife. I've already got mine.”

 

Kylo let them take them and went a little further with his wakagashira to have his report and plans.

 

“While we’ll be heading to the warehouses, six of our men will be on their way to Statura’s headquarters. It'll make a good distraction, even if extremely short. Statura will probably look like he's alone in there with Hux, but there will be a handful of heavily armed men with them. We'll need to be extra careful.”

 

“We're always careful.”

 

“Kylo, they want you dead. Statura won't hesitate to pull the trigger at the first occasion.”

 

“You and I know that's bullshit. He wants to destroy this clan, so he’ll probably kill each of you and keep me alive until the bid for Hux is over.” Kylo pulled black leather gloves from his pocket and slowly put them on. “And then he’ll come here and shoot on sight.”

 

“What should we do, then ?”

 

“He probably doesn’t expect me to come with all of you, so we can expect ten of them in here, without Statura and Hux.”

 

“How can you be so sure ?”

 

“People only know you because I shared sake with you, but them ?” He gestured to his other Knights. “They don’t exist.”

 

“So we’ll just burst in the warehouse and take them down ?”

 

“Do you know which one they’re in ?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then we won’t. There’s three of them, we’ll stay together and comb through each one until we find Statura, Hux, of both.”

 

“What if there’s ten of them in each warehouse ?”

 

Kylo crossed his arms, hoping the fear awakening deep inside him wasn’t showing on his face. “We will have to deal with it.”

 

“All right. In any case, you know we’re all ready to die for you, Kylo. We swore to protect you for as long as we would be part of this organisation, and we’ll give our lives for your safety if need be.”

 

“I know.”  He turned to the other men. “But let’s hope I won’t lose such valuable assets today.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

On their way to the docks they decided to split in two groups, the bodyguard and two men with Kylo and three men with the lieutenant. Kylo would be lying if he said it had been easy to convince his wakagashira not to go with him, but he knew better than to let him do stupid things for him.

 

They parked in an alley a few hundred meters from the warehouses and finished gearing up there before going. The sun was still far from rising and in their black clothes they would be invisible and silent in the dark.

 

As they walked, Kylo could feel the coldness of fear wrapping around his guts again. He couldn't lose Hux nor any of his men. He wanted to punch himself in the face for being so dumb and not seeing how he grew attached to Hux. He couldn’t exactly point when he unconsciously decided to take him under his wing, but he knew it was the worst decision he could have taken. He cursed mentally. Didn’t he swear not to hold anyone close ? Didn’t he precisely want to avoid the situation he was in now ?

 

He cleared his head - he would have time to think about that once they would all be safe - and eyed the warehouses. They would soon be going through the closest one.

 

“Sir.”

 

Kylo stopped in his tracks and turned around to face his men.

 

“We'll go in first in case they want to ambush you. You'll stay in the middle so you'll be covered on both sides.”

 

“Alright.” He wanted to argue about that but he new it was the best thing to do if he wanted to achieve anything. He took the gun on his thigh and nodded. “Let's go.”

 

They walked for a few more minutes and stopped in front of the metal door. They all took their guns out and the chauffeur made sure they were all ready before turning the doorknob slowly. When he noticed it creaked, he sighed and pushed it open violently. Kylo nodded to himself: no need to be discreet anyway, they knew they were coming.

 

Unsurprisingly, the interior was plunged into darkness. The blood pumped fast in his ears, deafening in the silent storehouse. They walked silently, carefully, eyes darting to every spot they could discern. Their steps scrunched on the dirty concrete floor, echoing between the abandoned metal shelves. They followed the alert bodyguard without a word, only communicating by signs. Kylo tried his best to breathe calmly, and without him realising it, they had reached the end of the warehouse.

 

“There's nobody here, Sir.”

 

“Yeah.” He answered in a low voice. It felt wrong. In the deepest place of his mind, he heard himself say _he's not here, we've been played._ He ignored it.

 

“Come on, let's get out, catch up with the others, they might need our help.”

 

But outside, they met the equally empty-handed men.

 

“There wasn't anybody, Kylo.”

 

“They're not here.” He let out nervously. He knew it, he _felt_ it. “He fooled us.”

 

“We don't know yet, they may all be in the last warehouse.”

 

“No time to waste, then.” He finally declared, gritting his teeth.

 

With every step he took, his frustration grew. They were losing time, Statura had it all planned, he was persuaded. The lieutenant took the lead and repeated the same actions: entering quickly, finding their way in the darkness, moving his fist in silence to guide them - in vain. Kylo wanted to hit them again as fury bubbled up in his stomach. How could they, how could he himself be so goddamn dum-

 

“Kylo.”

 

He looked up and forced his jaw to relax. The man pointed at a light shining through the empty cardboard boxes piled messily on the shelves. His heart started pounding hard again and he nodded, soon walking in that direction. They went around the metallic structure, only to find an empty chair under the naked lightbulb. Kylo put the gun in its holster and closed his fists, teeth clenching painfully. He couldn’t give in to his rage now. Instead, he stepped forward and took the black wig that sat on the chair, discovering a small piece of paper underneath.

 

_Tic, tock._

 

He wrinkled it in his hand and violently kicked the chair before turning around and quickly walking to the door, pushing away the men in his way.

 

“We need to find him. Fucking hurry up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I'll see you next week !


	7. The oni

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello ! Thank you to everyone that left a comment, a kudo or just read !  
> Here's this week's chapter, the penultimate one !
> 
> Every term related to Japan/japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance.
> 
> Oni: japanese demon  
> Tantô: small japanese sword, dagger-sized katana.  
> Yubitsume: ritual to atone for offenses to another, a way to be punished by amputating a part of the little finger (and if there are more offenses, they cut another part of the little finger or a part of the ring finger and so on)
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this chapter !

 

 

“We're raiding this bastard’s headquarters.” Kylo was so enraged his whole body shook.

 

“What ?” The wakagashira spoke for all the men in the room.

 

“Gear up, we’re leaving as soon as everyone’s ready.”

 

“No, no, no. This is way too dangerous Kylo.”

 

“I don't give a fuck.”

 

“Kylo that's not reasonable.”

 

“I'll go alone if I need to.” He removed his ring, took a brass-knuckle from the top drawer and slid it on his fingers. He pocketed the ring carefully and faced his men. “None of you would hesitate if it was your wife.” He put his leather jacket back on. “I’m leaving. You’d better hurry if you want to come because I won’t wait.”

 

With these words, he stormed out and sat on the passenger seat of the car, his chauffeur soon sitting behind the steering wheel.

 

“So you’re coming ?”  Kylo snorted, knowing he would. He put his elbow on the window.

 

“Of course I am, Sir.”

 

Kylo tsked. “So you want to die…”

 

“You’ve known it since the beginning, Sir.” A sad smile slightly stretched his lips as he drove in the narrow streets of the city. “But if it can save your life, at least I would have done something good in mine.”

 

The oyabun chuckled. “Then I hope you have better plans.” He pointed at the rearview mirror. “Because they’re not letting us die today, it seems.”

 

The bodyguard didn’t answer, and they spent the rest of the ride in silence. Only then Kylo thought back on what he had said. _If it was your wife_. Here was to making clear he only considered him like a friend. He shook his head. He didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was the building they were approaching and the men inside it. He rubbed his fingers nervously, the heaviness of the brass-knuckle reassuring him.

 

They parked in a street near the building and waited for the others to arrive before marching towards the entrance.

 

“Boss, we have no news of the team we sent here this morning.”

 

“Yeah that’s why we’re here, aren’t we ?”

 

“What should we do with Statura’s men ?”

 

“Make them surrender and tie them up. If they won’t, knock them out before tying them up. And if it has to come to this, kill them before they kill you.”

 

“There’s zip ties in the car, go and take them.” Declared the lieutenant, throwing the keys to one of them. “Hurry up.”

 

As they came closer to the door, Kylo noticed it was ajar, and he didn’t waste any time to rush in, knowing their men were probably still fighting. He took the gun on his thigh and immediately went for the empty desk. A man was on the floor behind it, a pool of blood around his head. Kylo looked at the screens, searching for CCTV and finding it on the third one. He switched through the cameras and stopped when he saw another man lying in what looked like his own blood. Fourth floor, hallway C.

 

“Come on.”

 

They went for the stairs and ran up, carefully opening the door on the fourth floor.

 

“Shit.” One of the Knights rushed to a corpse on the ground and turned it on its back. “He’s one of us.”

 

“Let’s get them.”

 

Kylo was about to take the lead when they heard a gunshot. They looked at each other for a second before running in the direction of the sound, gun in hand, ready to fight. Just after the corner, two doors were open and they quickly made sure the first room was empty -except for a man seemingly unconscious- before the bodyguard and the lieutenant entered the second. When they shouted for him to come in, all the men left rushed in, only to find what was left of the team they had sent there earlier. Four men, dishevelled and panting.

 

“Thank God you’re here Boss.” One of them gasped.

 

“What the fuck happened here ?” Kylo said, helping him on his feet.

 

“Ambushed.”

 

“We’ll go through the last two levels together and make them pay.”

 

“But Boss…”

 

“If I were you I’d shut up, you’ll need that breath soon.”

 

Kylo was seeing red. He lead his men to the stairs and was stopped by his chauffeur.

 

“Let me go first, Sir.”

 

He nodded and followed him to the fifth floor, where he kicked the door open, but to their surprise, the level was particularly quiet. They opened each door carefully, checking every room as they walked towards the end of the corridor. As they opened yet another one, Kylo barely dodged what he thought was a fist. He cursed under his breath and let go of his gun, charging at the man blindly, thankful for his fast reflexes when he felt him fall back. The man kneed him in the ribs and he winced, soon kneeling up and crashing his right fist on his face. The thug let out a pained gurgle as blood started to fill his mouth and Kylo raised his fist again, this time hitting higher and knocking the man out.

 

“Fuck, are you okay ?” One of his Knights asked, standing close behind him.

 

“Yeah. Let’s move on.”

 

He retrieved his firearm, stood and brushed back the hair that had fallen out of the bun, going for the next door. Soon, they all came back to the stairway, having encountered only a few men.

 

“They’re probably all packed up there.”

 

“I know.” Kylo answered, nervousness rising in his chest. He swallowed hard and took the stairs up behind four of his men, unsure of what he would find behind that last door. What if they were twenty or more ? What if Hux was already dead ? Or worse, what if Statura had tortured or raped him ? He clenched his fists and climbed the last steps, ready to face what waited for them. From what his wakagashira had found, the last floor only had three rooms, two for Statura’s lieutenants and his own personal office, at the end of the corridor. If that was where he was with Hux - which Kylo deeply hoped- they had to make sure anyone who was in those two other rooms would be taken out of action. For that, he split their group in two: he knew the element of surprise was their best ally.

 

Once they sorted everything out, they kicked the doors open simultaneously and ran in as quickly as they could. Without thinking, Kylo grabbed a man’s wrist and twisted it to make his gun fall, soon headbutting him and kicking his legs. He then sat on him and knocked him out powerfully. He was about to stand up when someone made him fall heavily on his back, the air leaving his lungs all at once, a sharp pain blooming where the metal of the gun hidden in his back dug in his flesh. He reopened his eyes and took hold of the man’s forearms as strong hands wrapped around his throat. He let his right hand slip and punched the man in the abdomen, watching him wince, desperately trying to make him release the pressure on his windpipe.

 

Suddenly, his bodyguard violently pushed the man on his side and Kylo took advantage of it to slam his head on the floor. Taking his chauffeur’s hand, he stood back up, coughing, and was about to thank him when he heard another gunshot. This time it came from across the room and when he saw the man aiming at him, he pushed his subordinate and plunged down. In the ambient noise, he didn’t even hear the man grunt as someone tackled him, but he saw him struggle on the floor and Kylo  was reaching in his back for his own gun when he heard another shot. His eyes closed as blood spattered him and as soon as he reopened them again, he saw the man that had brought him down with his pistol still firmly pressed against the dead man’s forehead. He caught his gaze and nodded, quickly getting on his feet. He flinched to an intense pain on his left side and looked down on himself.

 

“Shit.” He licked his lips and mechanically pressed on the wound he couldn’t see under the blood. He looked around him for a second and, seeing they were tying up the last men, he crossed the corridor and watched as his lieutenant panted, leaning on the desk.

 

“You’re all okay ?” He asked, and the pained grunts he received confirmed him they were.

 

“All okay on your side ?” The wakagashira asked in turn before facing him. “Fuck, Kylo, you’re-”

 

“Bleeding, yeah, I know.”

 

“What happened ? Are you okay ?”

 

“Didn’t look yet.”

 

“I’ll check if-”

 

“No need.”

 

“Sir.” Said his bodyguard, preventing him from walking, a hand on his shoulder. “Let him look.”

 

Kylo gritted his teeth and sighed, removing his hand. The clan’s number two put a knee down and carefully lifted Kylo’s top, pushing the jacket aside. As he did so, Kylo felt blood flow down warmly against his skin.

 

“You can’t fight like this, Kylo.”

 

“Shut up, it’s nothing.”

 

“You’ve been shot, Sir.”

 

“The bullet went through. No big deal.”

 

“You’re bleeding too much.”

 

Kylo grunted and pushed both men aside, shoving his tee-shirt down and going towards the last door.

 

“Then let’s hurry.”

 

Kylo estimated he wasn't losing that much blood and that he could fight until the end. He would have time to rest after they had finished the job.

 

“Do you think he's alone in there, Boss ?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Sir, we didn't encounter much resistance. He might be surrounded by another handful of armed men.”

 

Kylo swallowed hard. “Then let's find out, shall we ?”

 

They all nodded and the bodyguard didn't waste any time to slam the door open, drawing right in front of him.

 

“Don't move !” He shouted and stepped aside to let them all come in.

 

“Now, now.” Started Statura, smiling. “I would have liked it better if you had knocked, but I guess being polite isn't your forte.”

 

Kylo was relieved to see he was alone with Hux. But what made his breath hitch was the state Hux was in. Sitting on Statura’s knees, Kylo could see him shake in fear, trying his best to hide his body in the torn kimono. On his pale skin had bloomed awfully blue bruises and from the dried blood on his chin, Kylo guessed he had been hit in the face, whether strong enough to tear the skin of the inside of his mouth or to split his lip.

 

“You'd better let go of him before I send your straight to Hell.”

 

“Shh.” A gun in hand, Statura caressed Hux’s head gently. “Let's not be too precipitated.”

 

Kylo gritted his teeth. If he wasn't shaking that much from anger and fear, he would shoot him right between the eyes.

 

“Put your weapons down, all of you, then maybe we'll talk.”

 

Kylo forced himself to breathe slowly. His running heart wasn't helping with the wound.

 

“Is there a word you don't understand ?” Statura pressed the gun on Hux’s temple. “I said put your weapons down.”

 

Kylo kept a curse in and slowly bent down, carefully putting his pistol and brass knuckles on the floor and kicking them hard. On his initiative, his men did the same, with the same reluctance.

 

" _All_ your weapons, men. You can do better than that, c'mon." He observed them with a sly smile, and watched as Kylo nodded and all the men put everything down. 

 

“Good.” He went back to stroking his hair, seemingly not caring about Kylo's own immobility. “Have you watched the bids ? No ? You should have, he is the most prized specimen that ever sold on there.”

 

Kylo’s face contorted in an horrified wince. Were the bids over already ? It couldn’t have gone by so fast, could it ?

 

“Don't make that face.” He laughed. “The auction isn't finished yet. You know, sometimes I wonder if I should keep him to myself… After all, he's a pretty young boy, and who could say no to a virgin, huh ?”

 

Unconsciously, Kylo stepped forward but stopped as soon as Statura put the barrel back against Hux’s head.

 

“Did you fucking rape him ?”

 

“What ?” He chuckled. “Please, don't be ridiculous. I know how to be reasonable for such an amount of money.”

 

“And now what ? You wanted me, I'm here. Let him go.”

 

Statura gestured for him to come closer and Kylo obeyed, taking the steps that separated them.

 

“Hands up.”

 

Kylo obeyed again and let him search him. He removed his jacket on his command and gave him his shoulder holster, struggling to keep calm. If not for the gun constantly pressed to the taikomochi’s head, he would have jumped on Statura’s throat long ago.

 

“Would you look at that ?”  He chuckled again as he lifted his top and brushed his fingers against the wound.

 

“Don't.” Kylo said. “Just shoot me already.”

 

He pressed his forefinger in the wound and Kylo cursed loudly, his hands mechanically grabbing his wrist.

 

“I'd rather have some fun, first. Don't be such a jerk.” He pulled hard on Hux’s hair and a tiny whimper left him, his eyes closing. “I'm sure he’ll be thankful for it.”

 

Kylo swallowed hard and released Statura’s arm, gritting his teeth as he twisted his finger forcefully.

 

“Did you find my little note, in the warehouse ?”

 

Kylo grunted in pain, trying his best to clear his fogging up mind. “Yeah.”

 

Statura smiled and removed his finger, wiping it on Hux’s cheek. He then made him turn around and painstakingly tried to remove the gun in the waistband holster. Kylo turned his head to his men discreetly and moved his left pointer finger towards the ceiling, before pointing at the door where he assumed was the light switch. Then, he moved it back and forth as if he was pressing a button in an attempt to make them understand to turn the light off. He saw them try to decipher what he wanted to tell them, so he pointed at the lights again. From the corner of his eye, he saw one of them take a few steps back slowly, and when he saw his arm raise, Kylo slightly turned on his right side.

 

“Something not pleasing you ?” Statura chuckled.

 

Before he could say anything more, the lights went out and Kylo took hold of his arm before blindly reaching for Hux. He grabbed his kimono and forcefully shoved him on the floor across him, in Statura’s back.

 

A violent hit on the side of the head made him lose his balance and he stumbled back, disorientated in the darkness. He cursed again and the light came back on. He raised an arm to block the butt of the gun coming towards his face again, but the light dizziness the previous hit had created in him made him sway slightly. He reached in his back pocket and pressed on the button of the flick-knife as he took it out. He put his thumb on the end of it and tightened his grasp on the handle, counter attacking in swift motions. He winced when he kneed him on the side, where his wound was, and he barely caught himself when he fell. He used his now laying position to throw his leg on the side and knock Statura down, but he jumped back and extended his hand, in which he still had Kylo’s own gun.

 

“Good.” He huffed. “That's enough fun for now.”

 

He moved his feet to push him on his back. Suddenly, a gun went off and Statura cursed loudly. Kylo used the diversion to wrap his hand around his ankle and plunge the blade in Statura’s thigh violently. The man stumbled backwards with a cry and Kylo took advantage of it to get on his feet quickly, before taking hold of his hand and disarming him, getting his firearm back and holding him at gunpoint. Only then he took the time to look around him and he finally noticed his bodyguard was kneeled next to Hux and some of his men were ready to jump on the bastard, the others still at a distance, gun in hand. He didn't know how long it had been, but he was relieved.

 

“I'll send a finger to your wife.”

 

With this, he pressed the barrel against his head.

 

“Kylo, please don't…”

 

The voice made him frown. It came from Hux, that was now sitting against the wall, still doing his best to hide his body.

 

“What ?” He grunted.

 

“Don't do this. Please.” He looked up at him and Kylo swore he could rip Statura’s head off in rage to make him pay for the pain he saw in these green eyes. “Don't kill him. Please.”

 

Kylo looked down at Statura when he heard him laugh.

 

“See ? You're the barbaric one.”

 

“You'd better shut up before I knock your teeth down your throat.”

 

He brushed a hand through his hair and breathed out slowly. He needed to think about it. While his breath came back to normal, he removed his knife from Statura’s leg agonizingly slowly and wiped it on his face, smiling to his muffled whimper.

 

“Alright. Take him out and drive him to the headquarters.” He turned to his bodyguard, that holstered back his gun. “Stay with him until we're back.”

 

He watched as both of them left -Hux visibly too tired to protest- and reached in his pocket. He took out the heavy gold ring, observing it for a second. He played both with it and the knife for a second, determined. No, he wouldn't kill him.  “One of you find me something to leave our signature."

 

 

* * *

 

 

“I called Phasma while we waited for you, Sir. She is in your office, she examined and took care of Hux.

 

“Thank you.” The blood loss was starting to make him feel quite dizzy, but he still had things to tend to. He would have time to get examined after. He entered the room and immediately went to the sword rack, where he took the tantô, before turning around.

 

“Where do you think you're going ?” Came Phasma’s voice as he went out again.

 

“Not now.”

 

He took the elevator down and went to the last room on the sixth floor, where he knew his Knights and two other men were awaiting for him. He went in and placed himself in front of the two subordinates that looked terrified. He knew they were the ones that had let it all happen by not answering the phone nor contacting him. He didn't even have the time to open his mouth that they both bent down and kneeled on the floor.

 

“We deeply and sincerely apologise for the problems we caused. Please, forgive us, Sir.”

 

Kylo threw the dagger for yubitsume between them and observed them some more.

 

“They’re not getting out of here before it’s done.”

 

With these words, he left and went back to his office, his head starting to seriously spin. When he finally sat on the couch with a huff, he could feel himself sweating as the room periodically went out and in focus.

 

“Shit.”

 

He didn't know if the voice came from him or Phasma, but the next second she was hurrying next to him and he cursed in pain as she started cleaning the wound.

 

“I was told the bullet went through.”

 

“What ?” He groaned, his head feeling heavier and heavier.

 

“Come on stay awake.” She slapped him hard and continued what she was doing, soon taking a needle and threading it.

 

“Wait,” he said with a furred tongue, “there's no way you're stitching me up like this again.”

 

“Don’t worry.” She showed him a syringe containing a clear liquid. “I don’t want you to pass out from pain.” She injected the anaesthetic carefully around each of the wounds and carelessly discarded the syringe. “You’re already close enough to it with all the blood you’ve lost.”

 

“Where is he ?” He articulated pennibly.

 

“Sleeping. I bandaged the light cut he had and put some ointment on his bruises. Fed him painkillers and a sleeping pill. He needs to rest.” She stayed silent for a moment, and only spoke again when she finished stitching and dressing both his wounds -it could have been seconds or minutes, Kylo felt like it had lasted an eternity.  “All done. You need to rest too.”

 

Kylo snorted. “Do I need anything else, Doc ?”

 

“Take those.” Phasma shook her head in annoyment, handing him two pills and a bottle of water. “Try to drink as much water as you can. It’ll help replenish your blood.”

 

“Thank you. I’ll see you in a few days, then ?” He groaned as he made himself comfortable on the couch.

 

“Already tired of me ?” She chuckled. “I’m staying here for a while, you know, just to make sure none of you dies in their sleep.”

 

“The nicest of guardian angels.”

 

He vaguely heard her say something before closing his eyes and passing out more than sinking into slumber.

 

* * *

 

 

When he woke up, Kylo felt like his body was screaming from everywhere. He sat up and rubbed his palms on his face, sighing heavily. He felt around the table next to the sofa and grabbed the bottle of water. He was glad he took the pills, as the pain on his side was starting to awaken slowly.

 

“Slept well ?”

 

He lazily looked up and saw Phasma sitting in his chair, a book in hand.

 

“Yeah.” He croaked, slightly nodding.

 

He put the bottle down and observed the sleeping form of Hux, on the other couch, with what he guessed was the bodyguard’s jacket covering him.

 

“What will you do with him ?”

 

“I don’t know.” He leaned back and scratched his beard thoughtfully. “Protect him.”

 

“And then what ?”

 

“Let him go wherever he wants to go.”

 

“I thought you loved him ?”

 

Kylo frowned. What was she talking about ? “Sorry ?”

 

“Don’t you ?”

 

“Who told you that ?”

 

“Nobody. I just guessed it. I mean, you put yourself in quite a life threatening situation for him.”

 

He looked back at her and shook his head. “You guessed wrong, then.”

 

He drank from the bottle again and ignored her smile. He did it because he was the reason why Hux had been in such a situation. He was the one that caused so much harm. He had to do something about it, he couldn’t have left him to be sold to anyone. They had cancelled it in Statura’s office as he watched and struggled, powerless over all the yens going back to their owners.

 

He let his gaze drift back to Hux, to his resting face in his curled up position on the couch in an unconscious move to protect himself. Ugly purple bruises contrasted on the pale skin of his wrists, and Kylo bit his lip in regret. He should have shot that son of a bitch.

 

He played with his ring mechanically and looked away. Hux was safe, and that was the least he could have done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week !


	8. The lover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is the last chapter. Thank you to everyone for bearing with me until the end !  
> I hope you'll enjoy this final chapter !
> 
> As usual, every term related to Japan/Japanese culture is explained below to help comprehension, in order of appearance.
> 
> Fuku ryû: a type of japanese mythical dragon  
> Namakubi: severed head, sometimes scalped  
> Koi carps: a particular type of Japanese carp (you probably already have heard of/seen them !)  
> Sakura: cherry blossom

 

 

 

 

“Wake me up if anything happens.” Kylo forced out.

 

“Of course, Sir.”

 

They nodded to each other and Kylo closed the door of his bedroom before crashing in bed. After his nap and when Phasma had finally agreed to let him go, his bodyguard had put the still asleep Hux in the car and had driven Kylo and him back to the house. Now, Hux was in the bed of the beige room with clean, warm clothes waiting for him and the bodyguard to watch over him.

 

He yawned and sat up to undress, throwing his clothes on the floor carelessly before plunging face first in his pillow. In the end, there was nothing he like more that having a good, dreamless night in a comfortable bed. He snorted. Except maybe fucking and fighting.

 

* * *

 

 

At something like three in the morning, he woke up to the urge to pee. He took his underwear from the pile of clothes and slid it on before leaving his room. His bodyguard, sitting on a chair next to the door with some crosswords, raised his head when he saw him come.

 

“Is everything all right, Sir ?”

 

Kylo vaguely groaned something unintelligible and pushed the door to the restroom. He looked at the bandages and at the blood that had soaked through with a tired sigh.

 

“Didn’t wake up ?” He mumbled as he walked past him again.

 

“He asked for a glass of water, an hour or so ago.”

 

Kylo hummed. “ ‘nything else ?” He yawned again.

 

“No, Sir. He was quite groggy, to be honest.”

 

He hummed again before disappearing in the darkness of his room.

 

* * *

 

 

When Kylo woke up the next morning, well-rested and relaxed, he stayed in bed for a minute, enjoying the sun shining through the window before stretching. He winced a little to the pain the move elicited from his side and stood up to go and take a shower. Once clean and dressed, he went to the kitchen and made himself a coffee, that he took with him to the living room.

 

There, he was surprised to see the chauffeur asleep, sitting straight in the sofa. He smiled to himself, before almost jumping when he noticed another form, on a chair around the dining table.

 

“Hello.” He said and sat across Hux.

 

“Good morning, Kylo.” He answered timidly. “Thank you for the clothes.” He added, pointing at what he was wearing.

 

“You’re welcome. How do you feel ?”

 

Hux dragged his finger around the rim of his teacup. “I’m okay.”

 

“Something’s wrong ?” Kylo asked, straight to the point. He could clearly see he was uncomfortable.

 

“I’m sorry.” Hux looked up at him with a pained expression. “I didn’t mean to cause so much harm to you and the people around you.” His voice dripped guilt and shame. “You didn’t have to do all this for me…”

 

“Trust me, I had to.”

 

“I am very embarrassed. I… First you offered me all that money, and then I put myself in a dangerous situation. I couldn’t thank you enough for everything you did for me, and I am infinitely grateful that you put yourself in such a trouble for me.” He took a shaky breath before continuing. “I apologize for everything. Please, forgive my recklessness and-”

 

“Stop.” Kylo said softly but firmly. Whenever Hux put himself down like that, Kylo felt like he was being torn in two. “There’s no need to apologize, Hux. I did it because I care for you.”

 

“I don’t deserve it.”

 

“I said stop.” Kylo shook his head and watched Hux’s trembling bottom lip. “It wouldn’t have happened if I were someone else. It is entirely my fault, so please, stop blaming yourself.”

 

Hux rose slowly and came to stand beside Kylo. Soon, he was bowing low and thanking him. Kylo stood up and took him by the shoulders gently, straightening him up. Green eyes plunged in his, and he gave in to the urge of cupping Hux’s face.

 

“It’s okay.” Kylo almost whispered and removed his hand as if he had burnt himself. “Don’t apologize.”

 

He had wanted to make it all manly like he did to his subordinates, rough hand against rough cheek in an encouraging move, almost a slap, but Hux wasn’t one of his subordinates. He deserved gentler touches. A flash of the inside of a pale thigh came back to Kylo and he pushed it away hurriedly. _That_ wasn’t what he wanted to see in Hux. _That_ wasn’t why he had saved him.

 

“Come, we’ll take care of your wounds.” He declared, taking a step back and swallowing his coffee in a few large gulps.

 

He led him to the ground floor bathroom and asked him to remove his top while he retrieved some ointment from a cabinet as he knew he only had bruises, if not for the shallow cut on his shin. From the way he undressed, Kylo guessed he was sore all over, like he himself was, so he took some of the ointment and rubbed it between his hands to warm it up before applying it to the first bruise he saw, on Hux’s wrist.

 

“What did he tie you up with ?” He asked as he massaged slowly.

 

“Rope.”

 

He nodded and continued massaging the abused skin.

 

“You shouldn’t have tried to run away. I know you were afraid, but he would have let you free if you had stayed quiet.”

 

“I am not used to your practice.”

 

“That’s not what I meant.” Kylo mumbled as he looked up at the slightly hurt voice. “You’re not responsible. Did he hit you ?” He asked when he moved further up his arm, to an ugly bruise.

 

“Yes.”

 

“This one comes from the manhandling, right ?”

 

Hux nodded.

 

“Tell me how it happened.”

 

“Do I have to ?” Hux started, reluctant. Kylo paused, his warm hands still around his forearm.

 

“Please. I want to make sure it won’t happen again.”

 

The taikomochi nodded slightly. “I called the number on the card you left me when I noticed a car parked right in front of the teahouse. Usually, nobody parks there, let alone for more than an hour.”

 

“I heard about it, yes. I did what had to be done in the clan to avoid this kind of highly incompetent and ignorant mistake. Please, go on.”

 

“Nobody answered so I called again later because the car was still there and I had to go back to the okiya but I was a bit scared. And I thought you would answer the phone and I panicked because I thought that maybe… Maybe it was your plan or… I don’t know. So I left and I tried to call you a last time because I thought that if I heard you then I’ll be sure you weren’t the one trying to scare me. But-” Hux winced and jerked his arm away.

 

Only then did Kylo notice he was clenching his fists unconsciously. Having them cut their fingers was far too nice compared to what they deserved. He gritted his teeth and relaxed his hands, taking the arm back and moving to the other one.

 

“Fuck, sorry.”

 

“But you still didn’t answer. I knew I wasn’t far from home so I hurried, thinking that if I convinced myself, I would be able to remain calm. But when I came out of the street someone blocked the way and I had to stop and when I tried to go around him he grabbed my arm.”

 

“Did you see who it was ?”

 

Hux shook his head. “No. I tried to free myself but then someone caught my other arm and no matter how hard I struggled they didn’t let go of me.”

 

“Did you try shouting ?”

 

“I did. They taped my mouth and put a black fabric bag on my head.” Hux’s voice broke. “They threw me in the car and drove off.”

 

Kylo shook his head to himself. He should have tortured them all to death. “And then ?”

 

“When we got there, they took me to a big room and threw me there. I stayed there for some time and after that, that man, Statura, he came and removed the bag and the tape and he talked to me.”

 

“What did he tell you ?”

 

“That I was your doom and his boon.”

 

“What did he do to you ?”

 

“He removed my wig and wiped my makeup away, and then he asked me to untie my kimono.”

 

Kylo bit his tongue not to scream. He forced himself to breathe calmly. “Go on.”

 

“I refused so he threatened me. But… I refused again.”

 

“So he hit you.”

 

Hux nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. “He took pictures and asked me a lot of questions.”

 

“You answered out of fear ?”

 

He nodded again. Kylo went to rub a large bruise on his outer thigh.

 

“What did he want to know ?”

 

“My age, my weight, my height. Things like that.”

 

Kylo said nothing about the fact that he didn’t talk about his virginity. “Did he tell you what he wanted to with it ?”

 

“No.”

 

“He put you up for auction.”

 

“What ?” Hux frowned, confused. “What do you mean ?”

 

“There’s a website where he and I used to buy our henchmen.”

 

“Human trafficking ?”

 

“In some cases. In mine, it was only buying the services of people that weren’t afraid of dirtying their hands for the clan. In your case, yes. It was human trafficking.”

 

Hux opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came. Instead, he just let out a shaky breath.

 

“It’s okay. You’re safe now. Don’t think about it. Please, turn around and tell me what happened after that. The sooner you’re finished with this story, the better you’ll feel.”

 

Hux turned his back to him slowly and Kylo bit his lip when he saw the red and purple marks drawn horizontally across his back. He poured more ointment in his palm and gently started applying it.

 

“He beat you up with a stick ?”  

 

The ginger nodded again, imperceptibly curling on himself in shame.

 

“After that he tied me up and kept me with him in his office. At one time, I remember I started crying because I was so… Tired. So he slapped me because he didn’t want to hear me. And a few hours after that, you came and saved me.”

 

“I’m sorry for everything that happened.” Kylo said with a last rub. “You didn’t deserve any of it. I’m entirely responsible for what happened to you and I promise you I won’t let it happen ever again.”

 

He stood up, washed his hands and removed the bandage on his side with a hiss.

 

“Do you need help ?” Hux asked as he put his top back on.

 

“No don’t worry. You’re good to go. You should rest.”

 

“You know…” Hux started again, hesitating. “I was afraid of what would happen to me. I thought he would kill me.”

 

“I know. But you’re safe now. It’s all that matters.”

 

Hux nodded silently. He still looked a bit out of it, Kylo noticed. Probably the remnants of whatever barbiturate Phasma had given him.

 

“Were you sick or nauseous this morning ?” He asked as he washed the wounds, changing the subject.

 

“No, not really.”

 

“You’re lucky.” Kylo forced a chuckle out. “Sleeping pills always make me throw up.”

 

He continued when no answer came. “Just take some time to relax, Hux. You’re safe.”

 

The ginger nodded once more and Kylo heard him go back to the living room. The pain from the disinfectant seemed to suddenly clear his mind and he wondered what he was doing. What would he do with Hux ? He had reacted without really thinking about the consequences, and now he was left with that. Yet another weakness. He sighed. It was too late to turn back. He dressed the wound neatly and walked back to the living room too, where he sat on the sofa before shaking his bodyguard gently. He started awake.

 

“Shi- I’m sorry, Sir.”

 

“It’s okay. You know there’s an empty room upstairs if you want to sleep comfortably.”

 

“Don’t worry, Sir, I'm okay.”

 

“Come on.” He grinned. “Go to bed already. You’ve had a long day. If we can still call that a single day.”

 

“All right Sir. I’ll drive home, then. I don’t want to bother you.”

 

“Yeah, do that. We didn’t intend on going out today, so just sleep to your heart’s content, and I’ll call you tomorrow if I need anything.”

 

The man bowed and left without further ado.

 

Later that day, when Kylo was cooking lunch, he thought again about his relationship with Hux. No matter how hard he tried to push it away, there was always a voice in the back of his head planting seeds of doubt about it. What if he was mistaken ? What if he had been blinded by lust, like so many times before ? He combed his fingers through his hair mechanically as a knot formed in his throat. Maybe he truly was the bastard people thought he was, driven by violence and greed. Maybe the only things that satisfied him were the smell of blood and the cries of women of easy virtue.

 

“Do you need help ?”

 

Hux’s voice brought him back to reality and he turned to him slightly.

 

“No, don't worry about it. Thank you.” He said, maybe a bit too sullen.

 

He watched as Hux turned around and went back to where he came from, and his mind immediately reminded him his dream from a few nights ago. Simple association of idea, he scoffed to himself. No matter how often he told himself that Hux was his _friend_ , he couldn't help but see his hands grip the sheets, feel the ghost of his thighs around him, hear his breathless sighs. He swallowed thickly. It wasn't what he wanted, he repeated in his head, trying to convince himself. No, it wasn't what he wanted.

 

He turned off the stove and put the vegetables in a plate before taking out a cutting board and putting two pieces of raw fish on it. He grabbed the sharpest knife he had and started slicing the salmon, soon doing the same to the mackerel. Once done, he placed the fish on the plate so that it formed two roses. On another, smaller plate, he put a little bowl, in which he poured some soy sauce and next to it, some freshly chopped coriander and the wasabi he had grated earlier. He placed two pairs of chopsticks on the bigger plate and brought everything to the table around which Hux was already sitting.

 

“Mackerel and salmon sashimi, with sauteed zucchini, bean sprouts and spinach.” He said as he sat down across him.

 

“Thank you.” Hux said. “It looks and smells amazing.”

 

“Help yourself.”

 

They ate quietly, enjoying the food in an almost religious silence that Kylo took advantage of to observe Hux. Since he was here, something felt wrong about him, as if he was constantly afraid of intruding his privacy: he walked softly, spoke softly -when he wasn’t avoiding to speak at all- and almost never looked directly in Kylo’s eyes. He wondered if he just failed to notice it before, or if this behaviour was only due to the embarrassment he always wore on his face.

 

“Thank you for this meal.” Hux declared when he lightly bowed his head.

 

“Hux.” Kylo called, and the ginger man finally looked at him. “Is everything all right ?”

 

Hux opened his mouth and took a breath in to speak, seemingly hesitating. “Did you…” He started, scratching the back of his hand nervously. “Did you kill him ?”

 

The yakuza looked back up in his eyes and he perceived some pain in his green irises. He shook his head slightly.

 

“No.” He mumbled. His heart was beating faster in his chest, and he hated it. He didn’t want to disappoint him. He didn’t want to see the face of yet another person he appreciated crumple in disgust.

 

“Then, did you…” His gaze fell on the signet ring and Kylo understood what he meant.

 

“I did.” He clenched his teeth, ready for any kind of reproachful, destroying look Hux would throw at him. But there was only pain and shame in his eyes.

 

“What will he become ?”

 

“A nobody. A disgrace.” He answered after a moment. “With our crest on his face, there is nothing he can do in his clan anymore.” He played with the ring mechanically. “The only thing left for him to do is leave. You’re out of harm’s way.”

 

Hux nodded slowly. “I didn’t mean to be such a burden.” He started with a frown. “I never wanted anybody to die. I’m sorry, Kylo. So sorry.”

 

“Don’t be. It’s me Statura wanted to reach by taking you away. I’m the one that killed all those men, not you.”

 

His lungs felt crushed, an invisible fist tightening its iron grip on them. He was nothing more than the man he had branded, a wrongdoer worth nothing less than the rope. He clenched his fist and probed Hux’s eyes again.

 

“It was all my fault.” He forced out. “Don’t worry, in a week or two it’ll be safe enough for you to leave.”

 

Hux looked away again and nodded stiffly before standing and begging off. Another ton fell on Kylo’s shoulders: despite his efforts to make him feel better, he had only upset him further. He cursed.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, Hux asked Kylo to go back to his okiya to get some clothes and personal belongings. He left with the bodyguard while Kylo kept abreast of what was going on in the clan these days. As he expected, their _intervention_ had shaken the yakuza world in and around the city, and it was no surprise that the organisation thrived again now that they had anchored their power even more.

 

He stepped in the shower with a small smile stretching his lips. He closed his eyes as warm water started pouring on him and sighed. He couldn’t say that peace was something he was used to, but maybe that was why he enjoyed it so much. He brushed back his wet hair and removed the now soaked bandage from his skin. He hissed a bit to the sensation of hot water against the sensitive area before taking some shower gel and washing himself. He thanked Phasma internally for her clean stitches and for the drug vial he could see on the sink. He was stubborn and reckless, but she was even more pig-headed -fortunately for him.

 

 _I thought you loved him._ The sentence popped up in his brain and echoed louder than a gunshot. He rinsed the soap off. He didn’t love him. He shampooed his hair. It wasn't what he wanted. He rinsed himself a final time. _No,_ he thought, _it wasn’t what he wanted._

 

He stepped out of the shower and rubbed himself dry before taking a painkiller from the vial and dressing.

 

When Hux and the chauffeur came back, it was almost midday and Kylo was in his office working a bit. He put his pen down as he heard them come up the stairs and waited for them to put down what they were carrying before greeting them again.

 

“What did you bring ?” He asked, leaning on the door frame of the beige room.

 

“Some kimonos and everyday clothes, my papers and a picture. I guessed you wouldn’t let me perform outside, so I left my makeup back there.” He straightened and faced Kylo, a smile on his face that only embarrassment shaded. “My okaasan told me I no longer had any debt to her.” He lowered his eyes. “Thank you, Kylo.” He bowed. “Thank you so much for everything.” He looked back up and stepped closer.

 

Kylo resisted the urge to step backwards and looked down in Hux’s wide eyes.

 

“I don't know how to show you my gratitude.” The ginger said in a whisper.

 

Kylo cleared his throat before speaking. “What's on the picture ?”

 

Hux’s face twisted into a disappointed scowl. He licked his lips and took the photograph on the pile of clothes before giving it to Kylo. On there was a little boy with wild hair and on his shoulder, the hand of a man with a severe face. Next to the man was a visibly withdrawn woman.

 

“Your parents ?”

 

“Yes.” Hux took the photo back and watched it for a second before putting it away. “You thought I became a taikomochi because my parents put me in an okiya to protect me, didn't you ?”

 

Kylo nodded.

 

“It's not exactly what happened.” He forced a smile on his features, and Kylo hated to see the sadness it barely hid. “Brendol, my father, he hated me. He had me with a maid, a bastard son. He couldn't stand it. So he threw me out, brought me to that okiya. I heard him talk with my mother, one night, saying he refused to pay for my education or for anything else in my life.” His voice quivered. “That’s why I became a geisha. Because I had no other choice.”

 

The yakuza’s heart clenched in his chest. He had been wrong, so wrong about Hux. “Didn't your mother try to help you ?” He asked in a strangled voice.

 

“Maratelle wasn't my mother. She didn't have her word to say in this, anyway.”

 

“How old were you ?”

 

“Twelve.” Hux blinked away the tears, unsuccessfully.

 

Kylo saw them roll on his cheeks as if they were slicing in his heart.

 

“I'm sorry, Hux.” He crossed the distance that separated them and took his face in his hands, wiping the tears with his thumbs. “I didn't mean to make you cry.” He observed the wet eyes, his thumbs stroking the skin gently. “I'm sorry.”

 

He swallowed hard and let his hands slide down and away from his face. “Take your time to settle in.” He finally said before licking his dry lips and turning around and leaving.

 

His heart ran, thudding hard against his ribs, forcing him to breathe fast as he went downstairs. It was everything that he had ever avoided, everything he had tried to keep away from his life. He cursed as he paced. Compassion. Concern. His fingers prickled. _Weakness._ He needed to fight.

 

“You’re okay, Sir ?”

 

He turned around abruptly to the voice of his bodyguard. For a moment, he only stared at him wide-eyed and short-breathed.

 

“I-” He licked his lips and brushed his hands in his hair, exhaling softly.

 

“Do you want me to drive you to the clubs ? You look stressed.”

 

“No. No, I'm okay.” He walked to the minibar and poured himself a whisky, that he downed immediately before refilling his glass. “Don't worry. You can go home.” 

 

* * *

 

 

After a night of restless sleep, he woke up sweaty and hard, to his discontent. He didn't need his body to complicate the situation further. He took a quick shower and was about to dress when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he went and opened it.

 

“Good morning, Kylo.” Came Hux’s soft voice.

 

Kylo looked at him, taken aback. Hux was wearing a red kimono with golden embroideries and a soft pink obi. Tied in the front. His breath hitched.

 

“Did you need something ?” He said in a sleep-rough voice.

 

“Not really, but I thought you might need help with cleaning your wound.”

 

Kylo frowned slightly but nodded and told him to follow him to his bathroom. There, he put everything on the counter and watched as Hux washed his hands before taking an antiseptic soap and gently lathering the irritated skin. Kylo wondered what was happening and his still foggy brain told him not to think too much about it. After all, Hux was free to do whatever he wanted, even more if it was to redeem himself.

 

He twitched slightly when Hux brushed his rinsed, cold hands on him to remove the soap.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Kylo shook his head and let him continue. Hux dried the tattooed skin, dabbing down his groin the water that had dripped, and Kylo licked his lips, remembering the state he was in not half an hour before.

 

Hux dressed the wounds quietly and the yakuza noticed how hard he breathed in the silence of the room. He was leaning on the sink when he heard him stand up. His warm hands slid up his back and Kylo saw him in the mirror.

 

“It’s the first time I see so much tattoos on someone.” He said softly, tracing some of them slowly with the tip of his fingers.

 

“Most of us yakuza members are covered in them.” He breathed out.

 

“What do they mean ?” The fabric of the obi brushed against Kylo’s back.

 

Kylo cleared his throat. “The dragon is a fuku ryū, it is ascending to bring me luck and it is golden to symbolize values and virtues. The namakubi on the left represents my respect and honor in the acceptance of whatever comes my way. On the other side of the dragon, there's a skull. Death and the perpetual cycle of life over which I am powerless.”

 

He turned around and faced Hux, who now flattened his hands on his chest. The touch felt like a burn and Kylo forced himself not to remove them.

 

“Mythology ?” Hux asked, outlining the Death Star tattoo on his left pectoral.

 

Kylo hummed. “Japanese history and myths are a recurrent theme in our tattoos, it is our way of showing respect for our traditions. The Death Star, Starkiller, the lightsaber and the Empire and First Order symbols are my tribute to Japan and my ancestors.”

 

“What about the koi carps ?” He asked, and the obi rustled against Kylo’s skin again as Hux inched closer imperceptibly.

 

“They are for masculinity. Red ones for strong masculine love, brotherly love and blue ones for reproduction. I have one for every man I lost. As for flowers, you probably already know what they mean in Japan: sakuras are the perfect representation of our ephemeral nature, chrysanthemum are the symbol of longevity and joy and finally, wealth and prosperity for peonies.”

 

Hux nodded absentmindedly and looked in Kylo’s brown eyes, letting his hands inch down until he could place them on his waist.

 

“What are you doing ?” Kylo asked softly in a hoarse voice. It was wrong, he told himself once more as if he believed any of it.

 

“Paying you back for saving my life.” He whispered.

 

Kylo frowned. Did Hux think he owed him anything ? He licked his dry lips, took his hands and gently pushed him away, shaking his head.

 

“You don’t have to.” He declared and he almost _felt_ the atmosphere change between them. He couldn’t let him do something he would regret later, even more when he himself didn’t want it. _Or so you think_ , a voice said in his mind. “Take care of your bruises and please, don’t think I want anything in return for saving you. I told you, I did it because I care for you.”

 

Hux looked down and Kylo saw a red blush settle on his face. He knew Hux still felt bad for everything that had happened, but he also knew that with time, he would understand. The ginger sighed slightly and bowed before leaving. Kylo combed his hair back and bit his tongue. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to think about it.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, he left with the car to go to the clan’s headquarters, leaving his bodyguard home with Hux. He loved the sensation of driving again after years of being driven by someone. He couldn’t say it was safer, as he wasn’t hidden by the tainted windows, but at least he felt free of going wherever he wanted.

 

He went in the building and greeted his men quickly before taking the elevator up and, in an almost automatic move, looking at himself in the mirror. He looked significantly better than when they had come back from the raid, he couldn’t deny it. He still had a red mark close to his hairline -the butt of the gun-  but he wasn’t as pale and didn’t look as distressed. He walked to his office and was surprised to see his lieutenant working at his desk while two men waited in the sofa.

 

“Ah, you’re here.” He stood up and gave him a hug. “How do you feel ?”

 

“Better, way better.”

 

“Are you back ?”

 

“No, not yet.”

 

“Still looking after him ?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

The wakagashira nodded. “They’re here for you.”

 

Kylo turned towards the two men, who stood up. “Did you need something ?” He said, perfectly knowing who they were and why they were here.

 

“Sir, please accept this as a token of redemption. We beg you to accept this gift.”

 

They both bowed low and one of them handed him a small, richly decorated, wooden box. Kylo opened it: in there was a white, spotless cloth that he unfolded. In it, he found two cleanly severed little finger phalanges. He closed the box with a clap and nodded.

 

“Are you healing well ?” He asked.

 

“Yes, Sir. Thank you for your concern.”

 

He nodded again, swallowing the hatred down, and told them to leave, which they did without wasting a second.

 

“How’s everything going ?” He let himself fall in the sofa and put the box on the coffee table.

 

“Business couldn’t be better.” The lieutenant took two glasses and poured them both a whisky.

 

“Are you drinking all my fine aged blends ?” Kylo chuckled when he took his glass.

 

“I don’t want my head cut.” The man laughed. “Never drink on office hours, except with you.”

 

“Yeah. You’d better not.” He sipped on the amber liquid and his face regained its seriousness. “Have you sent the letters of condolence yet ?”

 

“Yeah. Sent flowers to the wives, scarves to the parents and toys to the kids. Got someone to pick up the money at the bank already.”

 

“Good. Remember, always hand to hand, always in decorated boxes.”

 

“Yeah I know Kylo, don’t worry about that.” He smiled.

 

He finished his glass, put it down and rose. “And always-”

 

“The same man, I know, I know. You’ve taught me that before.”

 

Kylo laughed and walked to the door. “They are good wives, they deserve to be treated well. And you should find yourself one, one of these days.”

 

He winked and left.

 

* * *

 

 

On his way back home, a headache started to drill in his brain and he took a pill as soon he arrived. He rinsed his glass and put it on the draining board.

 

“Hello.”

 

He turned around and smiled slightly. “Hello, Hux.” For this day, he had traded his kimono for more casual clothes. “Slept well ?”

 

“Yes, thank you.”

 

“Are you hungry ?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“I’ll be in the office if you need me, then. I need to work a little.”

 

Hux nodded slightly and Kylo went around him to take the stairs up. A knot formed in his throat when he noticed he didn’t even ask Hux if he wanted to do something. He shrugged. He didn’t have the time to babysit him.

 

* * *

 

 

The next evening, Kylo was sautéing shiitakes and broccoli in butter, olive oil and ponzu while soba noodles boiled. When they started browning, he threw in a handful of sesame seeds and some lemon zests. He reduced the heat to low and went to drain the noodles. He ran cold water on them and put them in the pan to mix everything together before placing everything nicely in two bowls.

He then opened a bottle of sake and poured them two glasses, that he brought first to the table, soon going back to take the food.

 

“Soba noodles with broccoli and shiitake.” He said as he sat down.

 

“Thank you.” Hux smiled slightly as he took a sip of his drink.

 

They ate in a comfortable silence, that Kylo only disturbed when he asked Hux if he wanted more sake.

 

“Yes, please.”

 

Kylo brought the bottle back and refilled their glass.

 

“Tell me.” He started, and Hux’s head jerked up. “What's your first name ?”

 

“Armitage.” He said drily.

 

“Why does everyone call you Hux ?”

 

“I don't want to hear that name.” He tipped his glass again. “It's the one Brendol gave me, but he only used it to tell me off.” He drank again, and Kylo eyed the quickly disappearing liquid. “And at least, Hux is easy to pronounce for you Japanese.”

 

Kylo hummed and watched the sake twirl in his own glass. He looked back up and noticed how his cheeks were now a subtle shade of pink. He finished his food and took his glass with him in the sofa. On the coffee table was a report he needed to read and he opened the first page of it.

 

Soon, Hux told him he was going to bed.

 

“Have a good night.”

 

“Thank you, Kylo. You too.”

 

He watched as he left, his dark blue kimono rustling as he walked. The obi, this night made out of a delicate, fossil-grey, fabric, was tied on the front. Kylo hadn’t said anything about it and had spent the day trying to ignore the too fast pulsations of his heart. _My obi is tied in my back_ , he remembered Hux had said when he had asked him if he was a tayuu, but now he was tying it in his front. Kylo wanted to believe it was only for practicality purposes, but deep down, something inside knew it wasn’t. Deep down where his primal instincts hid, he knew what Hux wanted.

 

He rubbed his face when he started reading the same line a fourth time. Or maybe Hux was just bored, he thought. Maybe he wanted to do something else. After all, his life at the okiya had certainly been livelier, between the training of his little sister, the cleaning, the hand he gave to his okaasan when she needed it and the preparation for the evening at the tea house. Here, the only thing he had to do was rest and sometimes help with cooking. Kylo sighed and threw the report back on the coffee table: he couldn’t even focus on the second page of it, so he chose to go to bed instead.

 

He turned the lights off and closed the door of his bedroom before turning on his bedside table lamp and undressing. Once his shoes, socks and pants gone, he removed his cufflinks and was finishing unbuttoning his shirt when Hux knocked on his door.

 

“Yes ?” He said as he opened.

 

“May I come in ?” Hux asked, still in his kimono.

 

Kylo nodded and stepped aside before closing the door again. “Is everything okay ?”

 

Hux nodded and breathed out a _yes_. The yakuza saw him swallow his saliva before continuing.

 

“I’m sorry for what happened the other day.” He stepped closer. “I didn’t want you to think that of me.” He stopped when he was close enough for Kylo to feel his breath on his face, and Hux’s hand blindly unbuttoned the last button of the shirt.

 

“You’re drunk.” Kylo licked his lips.

 

“Tipsy, at most.” He smiled. “This time, I promise you that I know what I am doing.” He whispered and Kylo saw his gaze flick down to his mouth.

 

The next second, their lips were touching and he placed his hands on Hux’s neck gently. He stroked the skin of his jaw in small circles and plunged his gaze in Hux’s when he pulled away.

 

“Is this what you really want, Hux ?”

 

The younger man put his hands on Kylo’s waist under the opened shirt and nodded.

 

“Don't do something that you’ll regret later.” He brushed the back of his fingers against his cheek.

 

Hux took the hand and kissed the palm, then each fingers. “You're burnt.” He whispered when he saw the mark on his forefinger. Kylo freed his hand and put it back on Hux’s neck, pulling him closer and pressing his lips against his once more. Softly, at first, then harder, sliding a hand on the small of his back and bringing him even closer.

 

Hux brought his hands up, grabbed the shirt and slid it down the yakuza’s arms. Kylo threw it aside and started untying the large obi. In the dim light, the silver embroideries shone slightly, and he let his gaze run up Hux’s body, hands following up and slipping on his collarbones, spreading the kimono open through the loosening knot of the fabric sash. He pushed it off his shoulders, gave him a short kiss and stepped back again, swallowing through a dry throat.

 

“Hux.” He said in a rough voice, noticing the man’s short breath and red face. “Are you sure you want a man like me to be your first ?”

 

The ginger man stiffened. “How do you know ?” He looked down, his face taking a darker shade of pink.

 

“The auction website.” He took his face in his hands and lifted it up. “There's no shame in it. I just want you to know who you're giving it to.”

 

“I know you.” Hux directed the hands back on his shoulders and undid the last knot of the obi. “I want you.” He let go of it and the belt fell down in a rustle, the kimono opening.

 

Kylo took in the sight of Hux’s naked body under the heavy piece of clothing and kissed him once more, pressing his own body flush against him and pushing the kimono down and to the ground.

 

“You’re beautiful.” He mumbled against his lips before leaving kisses along his jaw and down his neck, stroking his hands along the velvet skin of his back and arm. In his own chest, he could feel his heart beating hard against his rib cage.

 

Hux gasped when he rubbed against him and a whimper escaped him when Kylo lifted him. The yakuza hummed pleasingly when he wrapped his thighs around him before latching his mouth around one of his nipples. He took the steps that separated them from the bed and, putting a knee on the mattress, he gently laid Hux on his back.

 

“Are you still okay ?” He said as he removed his underwear and finally freed his own erection. Hux nodded shyly. “I'm not what you’d call gentle, so please tell me if it becomes too much.”

 

“I want it.” His voice trembled, and by the way he covered his body with his arms and kept his legs closed, Kylo guessed he was uneasy with his own nudity. “Please, make love to me.”

 

The sentence made Kylo shiver pleasantly. He took one of Hux’s legs, unfolded it and kissed his ankle, then up, slowly, until he reached the inside of his thigh. He let go of him and straightened, noticing how Hux mechanically closed his legs again. He smiled to him softly and stroked his thighs slowly, stopped at his knees and plunged his eyes in his when he spread them gently. Hux looked away when he slid his palm up his chest, forcing him to remove his arms.

 

Kylo bent down and settled between his legs before turning his face toward him and kissing him hungrily. He could feel his patience running out slowly, his feral lust creeping back in. He kissed and bit the sensitive skin of his neck, drinking in his shallow breaths.

 

“We’ll get to it in good time.” He purred against his ear. He rubbed himself against Hux and a deep chuckle left his throat when he gasped. He kissed lower and slid his tongue against his other nipple, nibbled at it and blew on it before he straightened and let his fingers wander up his throat.

 

He brushed past his slightly open mouth and carefully pressed two fingers in. Hux moaned and the yakuza soon felt his tongue move around and between them. He bit his lip when he noticed how dilated his pupils were and cursed silently when Hux took hold of his wrist to push his fingers deeper. He observed him for some time, stroking his other hand along his chest, before removing his fingers and  bending between his thighs.

 

Kylo licked at the head of Hux’s shaft deftly and he grinned at the moan that rewarded him. He licked his lips briefly before wrapping them around him, and he saw Hux drape his arm over his eyes, his blush spreading to his chest. Bobbing his head slowly, he used his wet fingers to gently circle his entrance and felt him tense up immediately.

 

“Relax.” He said as he slid off, voice hoarse. “It’ll make you feel good.”

 

Hux took a deep breath and Kylo started again, tongue playing with the underside of his cock, fingers carefully stroking over his entrance. When he thought he was comfortable with this, he pushed the first knuckle of his finger in. He felt him tense up again, so he swallowed around his member and Hux arched up. When the pressure around his finger eased, he slipped his next knuckle in, never stopping his ministrations on his hard member. Then the last one and this time, when Hux relaxed, he started a slow back and forth motion.

 

As he looked up and watched the quickly rising and falling chest of Hux, he suddenly remembered how achingly hard he was and how irregular his breathing was. His whole body was full of desire and he wondered for how long he would be able to wait patiently once he would be in him. He blinked away the thought and focused back on what he was doing.

 

He proceeded the same way with his middle finger and started curling them at different angle in Hux. He closed his eyes and worked his mouth skillfully on him, breathing in through his nose when he swallowed him and breathing out when he slid up. He could hear Hux muffle his moans with his hand, his body quivering in pleasure. Kylo circled the head of his cock with his tongue and felt a hand in his hair. He looked up.

 

“Stop…” Hux whimpered, propping himself up on his elbow, bottom lip trembling. “It’s…” He huffed, out-of-breath. “It’s too much.”

 

“What is ?” Kylo swallowed as he let go of him.

 

“Your mouth on me, I can’t-”

 

Kylo smiled and moved up to press a hot kiss on his lips, removing his fingers.

 

“It’s okay.” He bit Hux’s bottom lip and his new gasp made his cock twitch. “I’m done there for now.”

 

Hux nodded and slumped back down. Kylo caressed his face slowly before stretching to reach the bedside table and feeling around in the drawer to find lube. He put it on the bed and kissed Hux beneath the ear before murmuring in it.

 

“Now, I make love to you.”  

 

Hux breathed out a _yes, please_ and Kylo straightened. He took the lube and smeared some on himself, frowning at the relief it was to finally have some friction on his cock. He threw it back on the bed and used his lubed fingers to get Hux reaccustomed to the feeling. Once relaxed, he wiped his hand on the covers and bent on Hux again.

 

“I need you to breathe slowly and to stay relaxed, Hux.” He started, taking hold of himself and lining up with him. “I won’t move until you haven’t told me you were ready.”

 

He pushed in carefully and his eyes fell shut without his consent. _Fuck_ . The word echoed in his head at the pressure. _Fuck_. His heart was pounding so hard he was afraid it might break his ribs. He forced his eyelids open and saw Hux wince, one of his hands clenching around his biceps while the other clutched at the sheets. The yakuza let out a blissful hiss as he slid the last centimeter of his length in. The was no way he could fuck him gently, he told himself, no way he could win the fight against his bestiality.  He could feel the pulsation of the blood pumping in his cock and the ache in his loins to release the pressure.

 

“Still okay ?” He grunted out.

 

Hux nodded slightly. “You’re… Bigger than two fingers.”

 

“I’m sorry for the pain.” He chuckled. “It’ll be worth the pleasure.”

 

With his palm, he wiped the sweat from Hux’s forehead and stroked his short hair. After a few minutes, Hux called his name and told him he was ready.

 

Kylo pressed his lips on his and pulled out gently, then took his time to slide back in, listening to Hux’s breathing for clues that he might be feeling pain or pleasure. In another heated kiss, he heard and felt his muffled moan, so he went a little faster, sighing in bliss. He pulled away and looked down at Hux, at his swollen lips, at his reddened cheeks, at his blown eyes. _That_ was what he wanted. He swallowed hard. _That_ was what he was born to do. Taking people with him in the depths of decadence and filth. Something nagged at his mind. He thought admitting it to himself would have stopped the annoying thinking, but now it was clear that there was something else that lust deep where he had tried hiding everything. He shook his head lightly. It wasn’t the moment.

 

Instead of thinking, he picked up the pace again and winced as an intense pain bloomed in his side. He let out a low groan and roamed a hand on Hux, whose erratic breathing sent shivers down his spine. As he steadily thrusted in him, Kylo clenched his fist on the sheet next to the ginger’s head, fighting the urge to go faster yet, trying to ignore the pain. He watched Hux’s face contort in pleasured expressions, mouth wide open when he moaned, eyes locked in his.

 

Minute after minute, Kylo drank in every sound Hux made, enjoyed his hands stroking his skin. With every minute, he felt his climax come closer and closer lazily, the urge of reaching it faster harder and harder to control. He slid one hand under Hux’s back and lifted him lightly, changing the angle, first on one side and then on the other. He cursed under his breath to the sting on his side. Soon, the taikomochi scratched his arm with a cry when he changed the angle again. He licked his dry lips and focused on his moves. He wanted to see him come, to _feel_ him come.

 

Kylo tried to lean on his right arm to ease the pain, unsuccessfully. He blinked in surprise when Hux put his hand on the right side of his face and stroked it gently before tracing the long scar with the tip of his forefinger. The yakuza then bent down and licked and nibbled at his lips until he opened them and he quickly slid his tongue in, brushing it against Hux’s briefly before he went back to kiss his neck. He noticed how his moans became high-pitched and he grazed his teeth all over the sensitive skin he found there.

 

“Kylo.” Came Hux’s breathy voice suddenly. “I-”

 

A cold shiver ran down his spine and he swallowed thickly. _Don’t say it_ . He waited, mouth wetly kissing, hips moving steadily. _Don’t say it_ . He straightened a bit. Just like in his dreams, Hux’s thighs tightened around his waist. Just like in his dreams, Hux’s hands clenched the sheets. Just like in his dreams, Hux’s green eyes pierced through his soul. _Don’t say it_.

 

“Kylo.” He started again, his whole body shaking. He panted heavily and Kylo noticed the tears pooling at the corner of his eyes.

 

“Kylo.” He moaned. _Don’t say it_. “I love you.”

 

Just like in his dreams. Kylo thrusted harder and watched Hux screw his eyes shut and cry out in bliss as he came. He kept the pace up, closing his own eyes, and welcomed the powerful wave of heat that rippled through him before his whole body clenched. He groaned as he throbbed in Hux, and for a second, everything went dark, all his senses shutting down, before everything came back to him on full force. He cursed loudly as he felt his body shake and reopened his eyes, his orgasm slowly fading away while he panted. He licked his lips.

 

“You’re still okay ? You’re shaking.” He whispered, stroking Hux’s wet cheek.

 

Hux nodded. “Thank you, Kylo.”

 

The yakuza lowered and wrapped his arms around Hux, resting his head on the mattress next to Hux’s. They spent a moment in silence, listening to each other’s breathing going back to normal.

 

“Come.” Kylo finally said and he pulled out carefully, rolling on his side on the bed before sitting and standing up. “We’ll sleep better after a shower.”

 

He took Hux’s hand and helped him on his feet. “You’ll be steadier on your legs in a few moments, don’t worry.”

 

They stayed next to the bed for a minute, Kylo’s hands on the ginger’s neck, putting slow, soft kisses on his lips. When Hux felt more confident about his ability to walk, they went to the bathroom and showered together, Kylo cleaning the mess he had made on Hux’s stomach and between his thighs, Hux running his deft hands hesitantly along the yakuza’s body.

 

“You’re bleeding again.” Hux pointed at the blood stain in the middle of the white bandages.

 

“I know.”

 

“Let me-”

 

“It’s nothing.” He shook his head. “We’ll see tomorrow.”

 

Kylo kissed him again under the water. Mouth pressed open on Hux’s, he breathed in the ghosts of his moans. Softly taking his bottom lip between his, brushing past his top lip, lightly rubbing his nose against his. After all, maybe if he ignored them, maybe if he kept the words from leaving his mouth, they would go away.

 

Once dry, they went back to bed and slipped under the covers, Kylo on his back and Hux on his side. He stared at the ceiling that he could barely distinguish in the dim light of the lamp. _People close to us yakuzas are weaknesses_ , he had told him a few weeks before. _Weaknesses_. He mechanically stroked Hux’s hair. That was what he was, Kylo tried to convince himself again, knowing he would fail, a weakness. He swallowed through the knot in his throat. Maybe if he continued lying to himself like he did all these weeks, he could just end up believing everything.

 

He turned the light off and continued staring at the ceiling. His heart still beating fast in his chest was too loud in his ears. Violence and lust, it was all too easy. But _this_. He tried pushing it away again, he tried locking it in the deepest cage he had in his mind, but he knew it was too late. So he trampled his values underfoot. He admitted it to himself. He spoke.

 

“Stay by my side.”

 

His voice rumbled in the silent room like thunder.

 

“Why ?” Under his hand, he felt Hux’s head tilt up.

 

He stayed silent for a few minutes.

 

He wondered if there was anything worth staying, by his side. By his bloody, violent side. He used to believe that he was better off alone than in bad company, but he wondered if he wasn’t bad company himself, after all. He breathed in and out slowly, drew light circles on the soft skin of Hux’s shoulder. He wondered if his heart was beating as fast as his. He licked his lips. He wondered for how long it would still beat, if he said it.

 

Would they beat together, he asked himself, or were they made to beat alone ?  

 

He knew it was the only way to find out. So he admitted it to him.

 

“Because I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you a million times for reading all that story ! I hope you enjoyed this chapter !  
> I hope you enjoyed the whole story and I'll see you another time for another story !


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